Estrutura e biometria dos ovarios de ratas adultas UChA e UChB (consumidoras voluntarias de etanol) (2008)

Chronic alcoholism belongs to the group of diseases classified as originated from mental disturbs, being the women more affected than men. Although ethanol intake causes benefic stimulus to the organism, like increase in euphoria and pleasure, excessive and prolonged use can cause side effects, even to the reproduction. On the literature, there were few researches involving chronic alcoholism and female. In regard to the current incidence of early and late alcoholism in women, and its consequences to the reproduction, the aim of this study was to evaluate the UChA and UChB (10% ethanol voluntary intake) adult rat ovary structure. After the experimental period, 42 rats divided into three groups (UChA, UChB and Wistar control) were killed, by decapitation method, and their ovaries collected to the light and electronic microscopy analysis. Ovary slides were stained with HE, Masson's tricromic, toluidine blue, Periodic Acid Schiff and tissue was cryofrozen to further acid/alkaline phosphatase histochemical techniques. Final body weight, reproductive organs weight, body weight gain index, estrous cycle duration and hormone dosages (FSH, LH, -oestradiol and progesterone) were analyzed. The statistical analysis was made using 5% of significance. There was no significative difference between the groups as to initial and final body weights, although the UChB rats showed an increased body mass gain at the final treatment period. The UChB ovaries relative weight was significantly lower comparing to the control. The hormonal levels did not differ among the groups. The UChA and UChB groups presented prolonged estrous cycles and persistent oestrous phases. Different stages of atresia and proliferation on follicle cells were found varying in UChA and UChB ovaries. The tunica albuginea showed fibrous tissue and cellular stromal components in ethanol drinking animals. Fibrocellular stroma and fibrous tunica albuginea were present in the control group. The UChA group showed metachromatic reaction between the growing follicles granulosa cells, whereas, in the UChB rats, intense metachromasia appeared on small, growing and antral follicles. The UCh groups presented PAS-positive reaction in the interstitial glandular tissue, while in control animals these reactions were restricted to the zona pelucida of oocytes and among granulosa cells of secondary follicles. The antral follicles of the UChB rats showed a high intensity reaction to acid phosphatase (AP), when compared to UChA and control groups. In UChA animals, the hemorrhagic and regression corpora lutea had AP reaction with the presence of associated clumps. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) marked a hypervascularization in corpora lutea of UCh rats. In UChB strain, internal theca layers of growing follicles, reacted strongerly with ALP in contrast to UChA and control groups. The ultrastructural analysis revelated in UCh strain, corpus luteum with autofagic vacuoles and pyknotic nuclei at the initial stage. The UCh granulosa cells presented irregular nucleus with chromatin marginalization and edematous mitochondria. In conclusion, there were estral cyclicity irregularities, caused by chronic ethanol intake in the UCh groups, which were consequently reflected as morphologic alterations in the ovaries structure.