High-salt diet during pregnancy and angiotensin-related cardiac changes

Abstract

Objectives High-salt intake has been demonstrated in link to hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases could be programmed in fetal origins. We determined the influence of high-salt diet during pregnancy on the development of the heart. Methods Fetal cardiac structures, cell cycle, renin–angiotensin system (RAS), and epigenetic alternations in the heart following maternal high salt intake during pregnancy were examined. Results Following exposure to high salt, disorganized myofibrillae and mitochondria cristae loss were found in the fetus, S-phase for cardiac cells was enhanced, plasma angiotensin II decreased, and cardiac angiotensin II increased in the fetus. Angiotensin II-increased S-phase in the fetal cardiac cells was primarily via AT1 receptor mechanisms. AT2 receptor mRNA and protein in the fetal heart were not affected, whereas AT1 receptor protein, AT1a, and AT1b mRNA were increased. DNA methylation was found at the CpG sites that were related to AT1b receptors in the fetal heart. Cardiac AT1 receptor protein in the adult offspring was also higher following exposure to prenatal high salt. Conclusion The results suggest a relationship between high-salt diet in pregnancy and developmental changes of the cardiac cells and renin–angiotensin system.

Sobrecarga e restrição de cloreto de sódio durante a gestação: repercussão sobre a estrutura cardíaca e renal no neonato

“…Outros estudos demonstraram que a restrição de sódio pode aumentar os níveis de peptídeo -C e insulina sem alteração no nível da glicose sérica, o que sugere uma resistência à insulina na captação periférica de glicose (Lind et al,1992;Fliser et al, 1993. Prada et al, (2000 (Coimbra et al, 2012;Eriksson et al, 2007;Ding et al, 2010).…”

Avaliação das consequências da limitação do tamanho da prole de ratos Wistar ao nascimento sobre seu desenvolvimento ponderal e características morfofuncionais na idade adulta

“…Many studies have attempted to determine whether nutritional interventions during gestation have a role in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction in adult individuals [9][10][11][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. However, only a limited number of studies have evaluated the effect of nutritional interventions during early postnatal life [27].…”

“…A maioria dos estudos realizados neste (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) e em outros laboratórios (11,15,(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39) para avaliar os efeitos de alterações no ambiente perinatal sobre a prole ao nascimento e na idade adulta limita o tamanho da prole logo após o nascimento sem informar o motivo deste procedimento.…”

“…Destes vinte e um, quinze (11,(19)(20)(21)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39) informaram nos métodos que limitam o tamanho da prole sem a devida justificativa para tal procedimento ou informações sobre os critérios utilizados. Apenas em um estudo o autor justificou a opção pela limitação do tamanho da prole (32) .…”

“…As a result, several animal models have been developed. Some of these models involve maternal protein [9] or caloric restriction [10,11], uteroplacental under perfusion [12][13][14] and maternal high-or low-salt intake [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. All these models lack standardization of the experimental protocol, which hampers the interpretation and reproducibility of the observed results.…”