Maternal Carbenoxolone Treatment Lowers Birthweight and Induces Hypertension in the Offspring of Rats Fed a Protein-Replete Diet

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 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.


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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Y. Bai ◽  
D. I. Briggs ◽  
M. H. Vickers

An adverse prenatal environment may induce long-term metabolic consequences, in particular hypertension and cardiovascular disease. A maternal low-protein (LP) diet is well known to result in increased blood pressure (BP) in offspring. Choline has been shown to have direct BP-reducing effects in humans and animals. It has been suggested that endogenous choline synthesis via phosphatidylcholine is constrained during maternal LP exposure. The present study investigates the effect of choline supplementation to mothers fed a LP diet during pregnancy on systolic BP (SBP) in offspring as measured by tail-cuff plethysmography. Wistar rats were assigned to one of three diets to be fed ad libitum throughout pregnancy: (1) control diet (CONT, 20% protein); (2) an LP diet (9% protein); and (3) LP supplemented with choline (LP + C). Dams were fed the CONT diet throughout lactation and offspring were fed the CONT diet from weaning for the remainder of the trial. At postnatal day 150, SBP and retroperitoneal fat mass was significantly increased in LP offspring compared with CONT animals and was normalized in LP + C offspring. Effects of LP + C reduction in SBP were similar in both males and females. Plasma choline and phosphatidylcholine concentrations were not different across treatment groups, but maternal choline supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in homocysteine concentrations in LP + C offspring compared with LP and CONT animals. The present trial shows for the first time that maternal supplementation with dietary choline during periods of LP exposure can normalize increased SBP and fat mass observed in offspring in later life.


1994 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon C. Langley ◽  
Alan A. Jackson

1. Possible associations between maternal nutrition in pregnancy and non-communicable diseases of adulthood were assessed using a rat model. Rats were habituated to diets containing a range of protein levels (18, 12, 9 and 6% by weight), over a 14 day period, before mating. The low protein diets were maintained throughout pregnancy. Lactating mothers and their offspring were transferred to a standard chow diet (20% protein). 2. Pregnant rats demonstrated a graded response to the diets, with those fed 9 and 6% protein tending to consume less energy and gain less weight than 18% protein fed controls. Litter size and newborn death rates were not significantly altered by the low protein diets. 3. Offspring of 12 and 9% protein fed dams were grossly normal, gaining weight at a similar rate to those born to 18% protein fed control rats. Offspring of the 6% protein fed dams were smaller than pups from all other groups, over a 21 week period. 4. At 9 weeks of age, systolic blood pressure was determined in the offspring. All offspring from the three low protein groups were found to have significantly elevated blood pressure (15–22 mmHg) relative to the control group. An inverse relationship between maternal protein intake and the systolic blood pressure of the offspring was observed. Blood pressure remained elevated in the offspring of the 9 and 6% protein fed dams until 21 weeks of age. The observed hypertension was associated with increased pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in the low protein groups. 5. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that poor maternal nutrition in pregnancy may irreversibly impair aspects of physiological and biochemical function in the fetus. This has potential adverse consequences for the later health of the offspring.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle L Meyer ◽  
Veeral Saraiya ◽  
Hirofumi Tanaka ◽  
Priya Palta ◽  
Timothy M Hughes ◽  
...  

Background: Greater central artery stiffness predicts cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, thus understanding arterial stiffness determinants has prevention implications. Reports of the temporal association of blood pressure with arterial stiffness are conflicting and the association with myocardial oxygen demand has not been evaluated. Objective: Characterize the association of mid- to later-life cumulative exposure to systolic blood pressure (SBP), myocardial oxygen demand, and hypertension (HTN) with arterial stiffness and its 5-year change in older adults. Methods: We included 1,975 adults (1151 women; 359 Black; visit 5 mean age 74 years) examined in visits 5 (2011-13) and 6 or 7 (2016-19) of the population-based ARIC-NCS with measures of arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV)). Higher cfPWV indicates greater arterial stiffness. We calculated cumulative exposures as the sum of averages from four consecutive visits from 1987-89 to 1996-98 divided by total time. Myocardial oxygen demand was calculated as the rate pressure product (RPP): (SBP x heart rate)/1,000. We derived HTN duration as the time since first HTN detection. Associations of cumulative exposures with visit 5 cfPWV and the 5-year cfPWV change were evaluated by multivariable linear regression adjusted for demographics and cardiometabolic factors. Results: Over the mean 5.7 years between visits 5 and 6 or 7, cfPWV increased by 144.9 cm/s (SD: 276.0; range -680.0, 961.5 cm/s). HTN at any visit, duration, and the time-weighted cumulative measures were associated with higher visit 5 cfPWV (Table). Prevalent HTN was inversely associated with cfPWV change. No statistically significant associations were observed for the other exposures and cfPWV change. Conclusion: Cumulative exposure to SBP, RPP, and HTN are modifiable traits associated with higher cfPWV at later-life, but not with rate of cfPWV change in older adulthood. HTN at visit 5 was associated with lower cfPWV change, albeit the change is of small magnitude.


2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 355-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Plank ◽  
Christian Plank ◽  
Christian Grillhösl ◽  
Christian Plank ◽  
Christian Grillhösl ◽  
...  

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rozalia Abramov ◽  
Elizabeth D Drugge ◽  
Khalid A Farhan ◽  
Nicholas R Ferreri

Excessive salt intake is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular morbidity. However, identifying those at risk of salt sensitive hypertension (SSH) remains a challenge due to its unequal distribution among populations and inaccurate assessment of dietary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake. The objective of this study was to compare indices of dietary Na intake in relation to systolic blood pressure (SBP) in salt sensitive (SS) and salt resistant (SR) subjects from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Sodium trial. We hypothesized that when compared to urinary Na or K independently, Na/K ratio is a better predictor of SSH when defined as a 5-10 mmHg change in SBP from low to high dietary Na. Among 404 Black and White subjects, baseline classifications included 177 SS and 227 SR. After diet randomization, on the control 107 were SS and 92 SR and on the DASH 70 were SS and 135 SR. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, followed by linear regression models for baseline and multilevel mixed-effects models after intervention were used to assess the relationship between SBP and dietary Na (as measured by urinary Na/K ratio or Na and K independently) using SS as a categorical factor. SBP was consistently associated with SS, Na/K ratio, and age in all models . At baseline, SBP was significantly higher in SS and SR subjects of the same race and sex, after controlling for age and urinary Na/K ratio and was highest for White females, SS:142.3 (138.8, 145.7) vs. SR:133.2 (130.7, 135.7), and for Black males, SS:137.0 (133.8, 140.1) vs. SR: 129.6 (127.0, 132.3). On average, SBP increased 1.02 (0.065, 1.98) mmHg with each unit increase in Na/K ratio and 3.30 (2.41, 4.19) mmHg with each 10-year increase in age. After randomization and exposure to increasing levels of sodium, SBP increased in SS subjects on the control diet:125.3 (123.2, 127.3) to 136.8 (134.8, 138.9), an effect that was greater in White vs Black females and in Black vs White males. SBP increased in SS subjects on the DASH diet: 121.4 (118.8, 124.0) to 131.2 (128.7, 133.7), but there were no differences by race and sex. These results suggest that a 5-10 mmHg change in SBP in subjects on a typical American diet and Na/K ratio are good predictors of SSH and that the DASH diet may help to reduce race and sex disparities.


2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (2) ◽  
pp. R543-R549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Analía Lorena Tomat ◽  
Felipe Inserra ◽  
Luciana Veiras ◽  
María Constanza Vallone ◽  
Ana María Balaszczuk ◽  
...  

Intrauterine and postnatal zinc restriction may result in an adverse environment for the development of cardiovascular and renal systems. This study evaluated the effects of moderate zinc deficiency during fetal life, lactation, and/or postweaning growth on systolic blood pressure, renal function, and morphology in adult life. Female Wistar rats received low (8 ppm) or control (30 ppm) zinc diets from the beginning of pregnancy up to weaning. After weaning, male offspring of each group of mothers were fed low or control zinc diet. Systolic blood pressure, creatinine clearance, proteinuria, renal morphology, renal apoptosis. and renal oxidative stress state were evaluated after 60 days. Zinc deficiency during pre- and postweaning growth induced an increase in systolic blood pressure and a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate associated with a reduction in the number and size of nephrons. Activation of renal apoptosis, reduction in catalase activity, glutathione peroxidase activity, and glutathione levels and increase in lipid peroxidation end products could explain these morphometric changes. Zinc deficiency through pre- and postweaning growth induced more pronounced renal alteration than postweaning zinc deficiency. These animals showed signs of renal fibrosis, proteinuria, increased renal apoptosis, and higher lipid peroxidation end products. A control diet during postweaning growth did not totally overcome renal oxidative stress damage, apoptosis, and fibrosis induced by zinc deficiency before weaning. In conclusion, zinc deficiency during a critical period of renal development and maturation could induce functional and morphological alterations that result in elevated blood pressure and renal dysfunction in adult life.


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