A High-Fat and High-Carbohydrate Diet Promotes Reminiscent Hallmarks of an Aging Ovary in the Rabbit Model

Abstract

The primary definition of ovarian aging refers to the loss of follicles. Moreover, the aging of the microenvironment in ovaries, specifically affecting the follicles, may reveal deterioration with advancing age. Besides aging, metabolic disorders associated with hypercaloric diets may affect ovarian health and manifest characteristics associated with premature aging. In this study, we used 10-week-old chinchilla rabbits fed with a high-fat and high-carbohydrate diet (HFCD) until 25 weeks of age to explore hallmarks of reminiscent ovarian aging. The HFCD diet appeared to affect the ovarian reserve, reflected in a significant decrease in primordial follicles. Likewise, Sudan black stain detection revealed substantial differences in the deposits of lipofuscin in the interstitial glands of HFCD-fed rabbits compared to controls, constituting a “hallmark” of aging. The HFCD showed no induced changes in the expression of SOD 2 in the interstitial gland; however, surface epithelium cells were greater expressed. Besides this, the HFCD induced nuclear translocation of NF-ΚΒ p65 factor transcription in surface epithelium cells. We conclude that an HFCD induces a greater accumulation of senescence cells in the interstitial gland, promoting characteristics reminiscent of ovarian aging. However, the activation mechanism of NF-KB caused by an HFCD, which may be stress-responsive and generated by the interstitial gland, requires further study.

Keywords

• ovarian aging
• hypercaloric diets
• follicular decreased
• oxidative stress
• NF-ΚΒ
• interstitial gland