Prenatal Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants and Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation: Their Impact on Glucose Homeostasis in Male Rat Descendants

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is associated with insulin resistance while folic acid (FA) may offer a protective effect. However, the paternal contribution to metabolic phenotypes in offspring is not well known yet. Hence, we investigated whether maternal exposure to POPs affects glucose homeostasis and whether maternal FA supplementation counteracts POP effects transmitted via male descendants. Sprague–Dawley founder dams (F0) were fed a diet containing 2 or 6 mg/kg of FA and were force-fed with either a POP mixture or corn oil for 9 weeks. Subsequent male descendants did not receive any treatment. Blood glucose, plasma insulin and C-peptide were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in males aged 90 and 180 days from generation 1 (F1), 2 (F2) and 3 (F3). Prenatal POP exposure increased fasting glucose in 90-day-old F1 males and C-peptide in 90-day-old F2 males. Prenatal FA supplementation decreased C-peptide in 90 and 180-day-old F1 males. In 180-day-old F3 males, FA supplementation counteracted POPs on fasting and postglucose C-peptide, indicating reduced insulin secretion. Prenatal exposure to an environmentally relevant POP mixture caused abnormalities in glucose homeostasis that are transmitted from one generation to the next through the paternal lineage. Prenatal FA supplementation counteracted some of the deleterious effects of POPs on glucose homeostasis.

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Maternal folic acid supplementation does not counteract the deleterious impact of prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants on lipid homeostasis in male rat descendants

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease ◽

10.1017/s2040174419000497 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 427-437 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pauline Navarro ◽

Mathieu Dalvai ◽

Phanie L. Charest ◽

Pauline M. Herst ◽

Maryse Lessard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Prenatal Exposure ◽

Corn Oil ◽

Plasma Cholesterol ◽

Lipid Homeostasis ◽

Male Rat ◽

Epididymal Adipose Tissue ◽

Paternal Lineage ◽

Hepatic Lipids ◽

Offspring Health

AbstractPrenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been associated with the development of metabolic syndrome-related diseases in offspring. According to epidemiological studies, father’s transmission of environmental effects in addition to mother’s can influence offspring health. Moreover, maternal prenatal dietary folic acid (FA) may beneficially impact offspring health. The objective is to investigate whether prenatal FA supplementation can overcome the deleterious effects of prenatal exposure to POPs on lipid homeostasis and inflammation in three generations of male rat descendants through the paternal lineage. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (F0) were exposed to a POPs mixture (or corn oil) +/− FA supplementation for 9 weeks before and during gestation. F1 and F2 males were mated with untreated females. Plasma and hepatic lipids were measured in F1, F2, and F3 males after 12-h fast. Gene expression of inflammatory cytokines was determined by qPCR in epididymal adipose tissue. In F1 males, prenatal POPs exposure increased plasma lipids at 14 weeks old and hepatic lipids at 28 weeks old and prenatal FA supplementation decreased plasma total cholesterol at 14 weeks old. Prenatal POPs exposure decreased plasma triglycerides at 14 weeks old in F2 males. No change was observed in inflammatory markers. Our results show an impact of the paternal lineage on lipid homeostasis in rats up to the F2 male generation. FA supplementation of the F0 diet, regardless of POPs exposure, lowered plasma cholesterol in F1 males but failed to attenuate the deleterious effects of prenatal POPs exposure on plasma and hepatic lipids in F1 males.

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Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and markers of obesity and cardiometabolic risk in Spanish adolescents

Environment International ◽

10.1016/j.envint.2021.106469 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 151 ◽

pp. 106469

Author(s):

Nuria Güil-Oumrait ◽

Damaskini Valvi ◽

Raquel Garcia-Esteban ◽

Monica Guxens ◽

Jordi Sunyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Pollutants ◽

Prenatal Exposure ◽

Persistent Organic Pollutants ◽

Cardiometabolic Risk

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Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants as a risk factor of offspring metabolic syndrome development during childhood

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2020-0113 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Marlene Cervantes González

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Organic Pollutants ◽

Prenatal Exposure ◽

Persistent Organic Pollutants ◽

Animal Studies ◽

Polychlorinated Biphenyl ◽

Environmental Pollutants ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Experimental Findings

Abstract Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are exogenous, artificially made chemicals that can disrupt the biological system of individuals and animals. POPs encompass a variety of chemicals including, dioxins, organochlorines (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that contain a long half-life and highly resistant to biodegradation. These environmental pollutants accumulate over time in adipose tissues of living organisms and alter various insulin function-related genes. Childhood Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) consists of multiple cardiovascular risk factors, insulin function being one of them. Over the years, the incidence of the syndrome has increased dramatically. It is imperative to explore the role of persistent organic pollutants in the development of Childhood Metabolic Syndrome. Some epidemiological studies have reported an association between prenatal exposure to POPs and offspring MetS development throughout childhood. These findings have been replicated in animal studies in which these pollutants exercise negative health outcomes such as obesity and increased waist circumference. This review discusses the role of prenatal exposure to POPs among offspring who develop MetS in childhood, the latest research on the MetS concept, epidemiological and experimental findings on MetS, and the POPs modes of action. This literature review identified consistent research results on this topic. Even though the studies in this review had many strengths, one major weakness was the usage of different combinations of MetS criteria to measure the outcomes. These findings elucidate the urgent need to solidify the pediatric MetS definition. An accurate definition will permit scientists to measure the MetS as a health outcome properly and allow clinicians to diagnose pediatric MetS and provide individualized treatment appropriately.

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