Weanling Rats Exposed to Maternal Low-Protein Diets during Discrete Periods of Gestation Exhibit Differing Severity of Hypertension

1996 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 607-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C. Langley-Evans ◽  
Simon J. M. Welham ◽  
Rachel C. Sherman ◽  
Alan A. Jackson

1. In the rat, hypertension is induced by fetal exposure to maternal low-protein diets. The effect on blood pressure of undernutrition before conception and during discrete periods in early, mid or late pregnancy was assessed using an 18% casein (control) diet and a 9% casein diet to apply mild protein restriction. 2. The offspring of rats fed 9% casein developed raised blood pressure by weaning age. Feeding a low-protein diet before conception was not a prerequisite for programming of hypertension. 3. Hypertension was observed in rats exposed to low protein during the following gestational periods: days 0–7, days 8–14 and days 15–22. Blood pressure increases elicited by these discrete periods of undernutrition were lower than those induced by feeding a low-protein diet throughout pregnancy. The effect in early gestation was significant only in male animals. Post-natal growth of male rats exposed to low-protein diets was accelerated, but kidneys were small in relation to body weight. 4. Biochemical indices of glucocorticoid action in liver, hippocampus, hypothalamus and lung were elevated in rats exposed to low-protein diets in utero. The apparent hypersensitivity to glucocorticoids was primarily associated with undernutrition in mid to late gestation. 5. Plasma renin activity was elevated in rats exposed to 9% casein over days 15–22 of gestation. Animals undernourished over days 0–7 and 8–14 produced pups with lower plasma angiotensin II concentrations at weaning. 6. Fetal exposure to maternal low-protein diets for any period in gestation may programme hypertension in the rat. Alterations to renal structure, renal hormone action or the hypothalamic—pituitary-adrenal axis may all play a role in the programming phenomenon, either independently or in concert.

1997 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 423-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C. Langley-Evans

1. In the rat low birthweight and raised systolic blood pressure are the consequence of fetal exposure to maternal low protein diets. Nutritional down-regulation of the placental isoform of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, which may increase exposure of the fetus to maternal glucocorticoids, has been suggested to underlie effects of low protein diets on fetal growth and blood pressure. 2. Pregnant rats were fed control (18% casein) or low protein (9% casein) diets throughout gestation. Animals fed the control diet were injected with carbenoxolone, an inhibitor of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Injections were administered either throughout pregnancy (days 0–22), or targeted to specific periods in early (days 0–7), mid- (days 8–14) or late (days 15–22) gestation. 3. Exposure to a low protein diet reduced birthweight and at 4 weeks of age systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated in the rats exposed to low protein. These hypertensive animals had small kidneys in proportion to body weight. 4. Fetal exposure to carbenoxolone at any period in gestation resulted in lower weight at birth. In rats exposed to the inhibitor over days 8–14, 15–22 or 0–22 systolic blood pressure at 4 weeks was significantly higher than in control animals. The greatest elevation of pressure was associated with carbenoxolone treatment in late (days 15–22) gestation. Animals with carbenoxolone-induced hypertension did not exhibit evidence of retarded renal growth. 5. Increased fetal exposure to maternal glucocorticoids impairs fetal growth and programmes elevated blood pressure in later life.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (6) ◽  
pp. R1189-R1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Okiyama ◽  
K. Torii ◽  
M. G. Tordoff

Four studies were conducted to assess the effect of a low-protein diet on NaCl intake. Young rats fed either control (20% casein) or low-protein (5% casein) high-carbohydrate (CHO) diet were allowed to drink either water alone or water and 300 mM NaCl. Relative to rats fed control diet, rats fed the low-protein diet progressively increased NaCl intake so that, despite lower food and water intakes, they drank 180% more NaCl during the last 3 days of the 21-day test. Additional studies found that rats fed low-protein diet always maintained positive sodium balance, were neither sodium depleted nor hypovolemic, and had normal plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations. The elevated NaCl intake was not secondary to calcium deficiency and was unaffected by mineral supplementation of the protein-deficient diet. Increases in the diet's CH and/or fat content incidental to decreases in its protein content influenced, but could not completely account for, the effect of protein deficiency on NaCl intake. We conclude that protein deficiency is the primary cause of the elevated NaCl preference produced by being fed a low-protein diet and that a novel physiological mechanism underlies this behavior.


1966 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 809-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila I. Read ◽  
E. J. Middleton ◽  
W. P. Mckinley

Female rats were fed diets low in minerals, vitamins, or protein, or a control diet, both alone and supplemented with 10 parts per million (p.p.m.) parathion for 3 weeks. Male and female rats were fed control and tow-vitamin diets both with and without parathion supplementation (0–10 p.p.m.) for 3 weeks. The liver and kidney carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1.1.), and the plasma acetylcholinesterases (EC 3.1.1.7.) of the male rats, were measured.In the female rats, a low-mineral diet resulted in an increase of carboxylesterases in the liver and kidney; a low-vitamin diet caused a marked increase in liver carboxylesterases but had no effect on the carboxylesterases of the kidney. Parathion at 10 p.p.m. in all diets greatly reduced the liver carboxylesterases but had less effect on kidney carboxylesterases, except in the case of the low-protein diet, for which the reduction was similar to that in the liver. Varying amounts of parathion added to the low-vitamin diet reduced the liver and kidney carboxylesterases, but to a less extent than when added to the control diet.The liver carboxylesterases of male rats were inhibited approximately 50% by 2 p.p.m. parathion in the control diet and by 4 p.p.m. parathion in the low-vitamin diet. However, inhibition of plasma acetylcholinesterase and kidney carboxylesterases was not marked until the 10 p.p.m. parathion level was fed. The acetylcholinesterase activity of the plasma of male rats did not decrease until the level of liver carboxylesterases was very low.


2000 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel C. SHERMAN ◽  
Simon C. LANGLEY-EVANS

Epidemiological evidence from diverse human populations, supported by experimental evidence from animal models, suggests that maternal nutrition during pregnancy is an important fetal programming influence upon cardiovascular disease. Experiments with a low-protein-diet model of rat pregnancy suggest a role for the renin–angiotensin system in the programming mechanism, since fetal undernutrition permanently elevates pulmonary and plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. Long-term beneficial effects of captopril on blood pressure in this model require further investigation in order to clarify the role of angiotensin II. Pregnant rats were fed a control diet containing 18% (w/w) casein as the protein source or a low-protein diet containing 9% (w/w) casein. Between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks postnatally, mothers and their pups were treated with losartan or nifedipine. All pups in the study had blood pressure determined at 4 and 12 weeks of age using a tail cuff. Animals exposed to the low-protein diet in utero and not subjected to drug treatment had elevated blood pressure relative to control rats (mean increase of 27 mmHg; P < 0.001). Treatment of rats exposed to the control diet in utero with either nifedipine or losartan between 2 and 4 weeks of age did not alter their blood pressure. Nifedipine had no effect upon the blood pressure of low-protein-exposed pups, but losartan prevented the blood pressure elevation in these animals. Between 4 and 12 weeks of age, blood pressure increased significantly in all groups (P < 0.001). The pattern of blood pressure among the groups was identical to that observed at 4 weeks, suggesting that the observed early effects of losartan would be maintained into adult life. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that angiotensin II plays a major role in the prenatal programming of hypertension. The action of angiotensin II at the AT1 receptor between 2 and 4 weeks of age may be critically up-regulated by fetal factors, including exposure to glucocorticoids of maternal origin.


1998 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel C. Sherman ◽  
Simon C. Langley-Evans

1. Associations of intrauterine exposure to maternal undernutrition with later hypertension and coronary heart disease in the human population have been duplicated in the rat. Fetal exposure to low protein diets produces offspring that develop raised systolic blood pressure by the age of weaning. This animal model of ‘programmed’ hypertension was used to investigate the role of the renin—angiotensin system in the initiation and maintenance of high blood pressure. 2. Pregnant rats were fed diets containing 18 or 9% casein from conception until littering. The offspring from these pregnancies were administered captopril either between 2 and 4 weeks of age, or from 10 to 12 weeks of age. 3. The feeding of low protein diets in pregnancy had no effect upon the reproductive ability of female rats and the offspring generated were of normal birthweight. By 4 weeks of age the male and female offspring of low-protein-fed dams had systolic blood pressures that were 24–25 mmHg higher than those of rats exposed to a control diet in utero. 4. Treatment of 10-week-old female offspring with captopril for 2 weeks indicated that angiotensin II formation may play a role in the maintenance of high blood pressure in low-protein-exposed rats. While captopril had no significant effect upon systolic pressures of rats exposed to the control diet in intrauterine life, the systolic blood pressures of low-protein animals rapidly declined by 31 mmHg. 5. Administration of captopril to male and female offspring between 2 and 4 weeks of age exerted long-term effects upon systolic blood pressure. Eight weeks after cessation of treatment, at an age where maximal blood pressures are achieved, captopriltreated, low-protein-exposed rats had similar blood pressures to normotensive rats exposed to the protein-replete diet in utero. 6. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the elevation of adult blood pressure associated with fetal exposure to a maternal low-protein diet, is prevented by early administration of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. The actions of angiotensin II in the late suckling period may be a critical determinant of long-term cardiovascular functions in these animals.


2002 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 633-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan A. JACKSON ◽  
Rebecca L. DUNN ◽  
Michael C. MARCHAND ◽  
Simon C. LANGLEY-EVANS

When rat dams consume a diet low in protein during pregnancy, their offspring develop high blood pressure. On a low-protein diet, the endogenous formation of the amino acid glycine is thought to become constrained. Glycine may become conditionally essential, as its rate of endogenous formation is inadequate to meet metabolic needs, and may be limiting for the normal development of the fetus. In the present study, five groups of Wistar rats were provided during pregnancy with one of five diets: a control diet containing 18% (w/w) casein (CON), a low-protein diet containing 9% casein (MLP), or the low-protein diet supplemented with 3% glycine (MLPG), alanine (MLPA) or urea (MLPU). The offspring were weaned on to standard laboratory chow, and blood pressure was measured at 4 weeks of age. Blood pressure was significantly increased in the MLP, MLPA and MLPU groups compared with the CON group, but for the MLPG group blood pressure was not significantly different from CON. Compared with the CON group, body weight was significantly reduced for the MLP, MLPA and MLPG groups, but for the MLPU group body weight was not different from CON. These data show that different forms of non-essential dietary nitrogen, when consumed during pregnancy, exert different effects upon the growth and function of the offspring. The availability of glycine appears to be of critical importance for normal cardiovascular development.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Kaoru Takahashi ◽  
Huijuan Jia ◽  
Shoko Takahashi ◽  
Hisanori Kato

Adequate protein nutrition is essential for good health. Effects of protein malnutrition in animals have been widely studied at the mRNA level with the development of DNA microarray technology. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted attention for their function in regulating gene expression and have been studied in several disciplines, fewer studies have clarified the effects of protein malnutrition on miRNA alterations. The present study aimed to elucidate the relationship between protein malnutrition and miRNAs. Six-week old Wistar male rats were fed a control diet (20% casein) or a low-protein diet (5% casein) for two weeks, and their livers were subjected to both DNA microarray and miRNA array analysis. miR-203 was downregulated and its putative target Hadhb (hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase β subunit), known to regulate β-oxidation of fatty acids, was upregulated by the low-protein diet. In an in vitro experiment, miR-203 or its inhibitor were transfected in HepG2 cells, and the pattern of Hadhb expression was opposite to that of miR-203 expression. In addition, to clarifying the hepatic miRNA profile in response to protein malnutrition, these results showed that a low-protein diet increased Hadhb expression through downregulation of miR-203 and induced β-oxidation of fatty acids.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 281-282
Author(s):  
Cedrick N Shili ◽  
Mohammad Habibi ◽  
Julia Sutton ◽  
Jessie Barnes ◽  
Jacob Burchkonda ◽  
...  

Abstract Moderately low protein (MLP) diets can help decrease nutrient excretion from the swine production. However, MLP diets negatively impact growth performance. We hypothesized that supplementing MLP diets with phytogenics may reduce the negative effects of these diets on growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a phytogenic water additive (PWA; Herbanimal®) on growth performance, blood metabolite and gene expression of amino acids transporters in pigs fed with MLP diets. Forty-eight weaned barrows were allotted to six dietary treatments (n = 8) for 4 weeks: &gt;CON-NS: standard protein diet-no PWA; CON-LS: standard protein diet-low PWA dose (4 ml/L); CON-HS: standard protein diet-high PWA dose (8 ml/L); LP-NS: low protein diet-no PWA; LP-LS: low protein diet-low PWA dose (4 ml/L); LP-HS: low protein diet- high PWA dose (8 ml/L). Feed intake and body weight were recorded daily and weekly, respectively. At week 4, blood and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for metabolites using a chemistry analyzer and amino acid transporters using qPCR, respectively. The data were analyzed by univariate GLM (SPSS®) and the means were separated using paired Student’s t-test corrected by Benjamini-Hochberg. Pigs fed CON-HS improved the average daily gain and serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations compared to CON-NS. Pigs fed LP-LS had higher serum phosphorus and blood urea nitrogen compared to the pigs fed with LP-NS. The mRNA abundance of SLC7A11 in the jejunum was lower in CON-LS and CON-HS compared to CON-NS. Additionally, mRNA abundance of SLC6A19 in the jejunum of pigs fed with LP-LS was higher compared to LP-NS and lower in CON-HS relative to pigs fed with CON-LS. In conclusion, PWA improved the growth performance of pigs fed standard protein diets but not low protein diets. Further, the PWA improved the concentrations of blood calcium and phosphorous in pigs fed MLP diets. Funding: Agrivida and Animal Health and Production and Animal Products: Improved Nutritional Performance, Growth, and Lactation of Animals from the USDA-NIFA.


1973 ◽  
Vol 45 (s1) ◽  
pp. 99s-102s
Author(s):  
Hideo Ueda

1. High-salt, high-carbohydrate and low-protein diet induces remarkable elevation of blood pressure in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). 2. These animals have low serum potassium, low blood urea nitrogen and high blood sugar. 3. Heart weight is increased in proportion to the elevation of blood pressure. 4. Kidney weight of rats receiving the high-salt, high-carbohydrate and low-protein diet was, by contrast, smaller than SHR receiving a normal diet. 5. The kidneys of SHR receiving a high-salt, high-protein diet were twice as heavy as the kidneys of normal rats. 6. Similar dietary modifications in Goldblatt hypertensive rats to those in SHR produced similar changes in blood pressure and heart weight.


2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco B. Barbosa ◽  
Kirsten Capito ◽  
Hans Kofod ◽  
Peter Thams

Pancreatic islets were isolated from rats that had been nursed by dams fed with a control or an 8·7 % protein diet during the first 12 d of the lactation period. Glucose-induced insulin secretion from islets in the 8·7 % protein group was reduced 50 %. The islet insulin and DNA content were similar, whereas the pancreatic insulin content was reduced by 30 % in the rats fed 8·7 % protein. In order to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the attenuation of insulin secretion, measurements were performed of the activity of several islet enzymes that had previously been supposed to be involved in the coupling of glucose stimulation to insulin secretion. Islet glucose oxidation was unaffected, but glucose-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol was reduced by one-third in the islets of rats fed 8·7 % protein. The activity of mitochondrial glycerophosphate dehydrogenase was similar in islets of rats fed the 8·7 % protein diet and those fed the control diet. The activity of Ca-independent phospholipase A2was increased fourfold in the islets of rats fed 8·7 % protein. It is concluded that impairment of glucose-induced insulin secretion in rats fed a low-protein diet may be caused by attenuation of islet phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis, and it is tentatively suggested that the increased activity of Ca-independent phospholipase A2in islets of rats fed a low-protein diet may participate in the stimulation of apoptosis.


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