Maternal dietary supplementation with grape seed extract in reproductive hens increases fertility in females but decreases semen quality in males of the F1 generation

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 25;16(2):e0246750. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246750. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Genetic selection in parental broiler breeders has increased their susceptibility to metabolic disorders and reproductive dysfunction. We have recently shown that maternal dietary grape seed extract (GSE) supplementation in hens improves fertility parameters, egg quality, oxidative stress in different tissues and the quality of F1 chicks. Here, we analysed the growth and fertility (both female and male) of the F1 generation animals and the quality of their offspring (F2 generation). Eggs issued from hens supplemented with GSE presented lower ROS production than control hens, suggesting a change in the embryonic environment. However, this did not affect the growth nor the body composition of male and female F1s from hatching to adulthood (37 weeks of age). At 37 weeks of age, the biochemistry analysis of the GSE-F1 muscle has revealed an increase in sensitivity to oxidative stress and a slight change in lipid composition. Both male and female F1-GSE groups presented a delay in puberty with a lower testis volume at 30 weeks of age and lower ovary development at 26 weeks of age. Adult GSE-F1 males did not present histological alterations of seminiferous tubules or semen production, but the semen quality was degraded due to higher oxidative stress and DNA-damaged spermatozoa compared with control F1 animals. In adult GSE-F1 females, despite the delay in puberty, the females laid more eggs of better quality (fewer broken eggs and a higher hatching rate). At hatching, the weight of the chicks from GSE-F1 females was reduced, and this effect was stronger in F2 male chicks (F2) compared with F2 control chicks (F2), because of the lower muscle volume. In conclusion, we can raise the hypothesis that maternal dietary GSE supplementation produces eggs with change in embryonic metabolism, which may affect in adulthood the fertility. The data obtained from the F1-GSE group pointed to a sex-specific modification with higher egg quality in females but semen sensitive to stress in males. Finally, male F2 chicks were leaner than control chicks. Thus, maternal dietary grape seed extract (GSE) supplementation in hens may impact on the fertility of the offspring in a sex-specific manner in subsequent generations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breeding / methods*
  • Chickens / growth & development*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Eggs / standards
  • Female
  • Fertility / drug effects*
  • Fertility / physiology
  • Grape Seed Extract / pharmacology*
  • Heredity / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Muscle Development / drug effects
  • Ovary / cytology
  • Ovary / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Reproduction
  • Semen / drug effects*
  • Semen / metabolism
  • Semen Analysis
  • Sexual Maturation
  • Testis / cytology
  • Testis / drug effects
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Grape Seed Extract
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Grants and funding

JG was supported by the Conseil Régional du Centre-Val de Loire and INRAE. PF and JD received grants from the Conseil Régional du Centre-Val de Loire called « Oxyferti » and “Prevadi”. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. INDENA provided support in the form of salary for AR, but had no further role in the study design, data collection, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript, and did not provide any grant money or other financial support. The specific roles of this author are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.