Maternal protein restriction before and during pregnancy leads to a gestational day-dependent response of folliculogenesis in outbred mice

Abstract Although abundant evidence exists that adverse events during pregnancy lead to chronic conditions, there is limited information on the impact of acute insults such as sepsis. This study tested the hypothesis that impaired fetal development leads to altered organ responses to a septic insult in both male and female adult offspring. Fetal growth restricted (FGR) rats were generated using a maternal protein-restricted diet. Male and female FGR and control diet rats were housed until 150–160 d of age when they were exposed either a saline (control) or a fecal slurry intraperitoneal (Sepsis) injection. After 6 h, livers and lungs were analyzed for inflammation and, additionally, the amounts and function of pulmonary surfactant were measured. The results showed increases in the steady-state mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines in the liver in response to the septic insult in both males and females; these responses were not different between FGR and control diet groups. In the lungs, cytokines were not detectable in any of the experimental groups. A significant decrease in the relative amount of surfactant was observed in male FGR offspring, but this was not observed in control males or in female animals. Overall, it is concluded that FGR induced by maternal protein restriction does not impact liver and lung inflammatory response to sepsis in either male or female adult rats. An altered septic response in male FGR offspring with respect to surfactant may imply a contribution to lung dysfunction.

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Maternal protein restriction in pregnancy and/or lactation affects seminiferous tubule organization in male rat offspring

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174412000360 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

pp. 321-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

G. L. Rodríguez-González ◽

R. M. Vigueras-Villaseñor ◽

S. Millán ◽

N. Moran ◽

R. Trejo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Germ Cell ◽

Control Diet ◽

Protein Restriction ◽

Male Offspring ◽

Male Rat ◽

Testis Weight ◽

Germ Cell Differentiation ◽

Maternal Protein Restriction ◽

Cell Proliferation And Differentiation

Maternal protein restriction (MPR) during pregnancy impaired the reproduction of male offspring. We investigated, during the first wave of spermatogenesis, whether MPR exerts deleterious effects on germ cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as androgen receptor (AR) protein expression, which was used as a marker for Sertoli cell (SC) maturation. At the beginning of pregnancy (day 0), dams were fed a control diet (C: 20% casein) or a restricted isocaloric diet (R: 10% casein). After birth, four groups were established: CC, RR, CR and RC (first letter diet during pregnancy and second during lactation). Male offspring were studied at postnatal days 14, 21 and 36. At birth, pup body weight was unchanged. Body weight and testis weight were reduced in RR and CR groups at all ages evaluated. MPR delayed the germinal epithelium development at all ages evaluated. On performing Western blot and immunohistochemistry, AR expression was found to be lower in the three restricted groups. The results suggest that MPR during pregnancy and/or lactation delays SC maturation and germ cell differentiation, and affects intratubular organization. These changes might be responsible for the lower fertility rate at older ages.

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Maternal Protein Restriction and Its Effects on Heart

Diet, Nutrition, and Fetal Programming ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-60289-9_10 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 121-129

Author(s):

Heloisa Balan Assalin ◽

José Antonio Rocha Gontijo ◽

Patrícia Aline Boer

Keyword(s):

Protein Restriction ◽

Maternal Protein Restriction

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Maternal Protein Restriction Alters the Renal Ptger1 DNA Methylation State in SHRSP Offspring

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10101436 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1436

Author(s):

Moe Miyoshi ◽

Masayuki Sato ◽

Kenji Saito ◽

Lila Otani ◽

Katsuhiko Shirahige ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Methylation ◽

Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat ◽

Methylation Status ◽

Salt Sensitivity ◽

Protein Restriction ◽

Na Channel ◽

Prostaglandin E ◽

Spontaneously Hypertensive ◽

Methylation State ◽

Maternal Protein Restriction

We previously reported that maternal protein restriction (LP) during pregnancy increases salt sensitivity in offspring using the Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHRSP). In the present study, we focus on DNA methylation profiles of prostaglandin E receptor 1 gene (ptger1), which is known to be associated with hypertension. We evaluated the ptger1 DNA methylation status via bisulfite sequencing, and analyzed the expression of ptger1-related genes. The results of these analyses showed that, compared to controls, the LP-S offspring exhibited both marked ptger1 hypermethylation, and significantly increased ptger1 expression. Moreover, they also exhibited significantly decreased expression of the downstream gene epithelial Na+ channel alpha (enacα). Interestingly, LP offspring that were provided with a standard water drinking supply (W) also exhibited increased ptger1 methylation and expression. Together, these results suggest that maternal protein restriction during pregnancy modulates the renal ptger1 DNA methylation state in SHRSP offspring, and thereby likely mediates ptger1 and enacα gene expression to induce salt sensitivity.

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