ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO PEQUI OIL AND THE COMPONENT OF THE ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE MICROENVIRONMENT OF THE PROSTATE, ADRENAL, OVARY AND MAMMARY GLANDS

Coordinator: Ana Paula da Silva Perez

Endocrine disruptors (ED) are exogenous substances, which may be of steroid origin, that interfere with the function of the endocrine system. An example of ED is 17 α-ethinylestradiol (EE), a synthetic estrogen component of the oral contraceptive. Exposure to EE during important periods of development alters the morphology of glands such as the prostate, ovary, adrenal and breast of humans and rodents. However, pequi oil (Caryocar brasiliensi) has the ability to reduce and/or prevent oxidative stress present in chronic and age-related diseases, such as carcinogenesis. Therefore, it will be important to know what the actions of pequi oil will be on possible changes promoted by ethinylestradiol. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of exposure to pequi oil during the prenatal period on the ovaries, adrenal glands and prostate of senile male and female gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) both under normal physiological conditions and under exposure to ethinylestradiol. For this, we will have the following experimental groups: the EE group, EE/Ve group, EE/Pe group, Pe group and the control group. The experimental design of the animals in the EE and control groups had already been carried out in the doctoral project of the coordinating researcher of the current project, and the organs were collected and submitted to the histological processing steps (CEEA/UNESP-Protocol No. 020/09). The animals in the other groups are kept in the vivarium of UFG/Jataí: Group EE/Ve, pregnant females received 1 ml/day of mineral oil (Nujol®) by gavage from the 18th to the 22nd day of gestation, in which ethinylestradiol was diluted, this being the EE vehicle control group. Group EE/Pe, pregnant females received 15 µg/kg/day of 17α-ethinylestradiol from the 18th to the 22nd day of gestation, an important period in prostate morphogenesis. Furthermore, these females will also receive 300mg/kg/day of pequi oil by gavage from the 18th day of gestation until the birth of the offspring. Pe Group: pregnant females will receive 300mg/kg/day of pequi oil from the 18th to the 26th day (day of birth of the offspring) of gestation (CEUA/UFG REJ – Protocol 004/2018). For data analysis, male and female offspring of the groups will be euthanized when they complete 12 months of life. From that point on, the ovaries, adrenal glands and prostate glands (Skene's gland) of the females and the adrenal glands and prostate glands of the senile males will be subjected to morphological, morphometric-stereological, immunohistochemical and serological (estradiol and testosterone) analyses. Therefore, we will be able to verify whether exposure to Pequi oil during the prenatal period triggers effects on the mentioned tissues of the same type and degree in males and females during aging, under normal physiological conditions or upon exposure to ethinylestradiol.