Long-Term Effects of Malnutrition During Lactation on the Thyroid Function of Offspring

Abstract

Some studies have shown that the mother's nutritional condition may influence offspring's endocrine function through metabolic imprinting. Recently, we showed that the kind of maternal malnutrition during lactation affects adult body weight of the offspring and it is related to milk composition. We studied lactating rats fed an 8 % protein-restricted diet (PR), a control 23 % protein diet (C), and an energy-restricted diet group (ER). After weaning, all animals received a normal diet until they were 180 days of age. At this time, the animals received a single i. p. injection of (131)I and were sacrificed 2 h after the injection. Total triiodothyronine (TT3) and total thyroxin (TT4) serum concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassay. The PR group had significantly a higher thyroid (131)I uptake, TT3 serum concentration and in TT4 serum concentration, compared to the controls. The ER group had only significantly higher TT3 serum concentration. These results showed that thyroid function regulation in adulthood may depend on maternal nutritional condition during lactation. Probably, PR group had a high thyroid function, whereas the ER group only had an increase in the deiodination of T4. The hyperthyroidism in the PR group could explain the low body weight observed in those animals.

Short- and long-term effects of maternal nicotine exposure during lactation on body adiposity, lipid profile, and thyroid function of rat offspring

“…Our group has been working with several imprinting factors during lactation that are capable of programing the hormonal regulation and body composition (Passos et al 2002, Dutra et al 2003, Toste et al 2006a,b, Fagundes et al 2007. Particularly, maternal nutritional and hormonal changes during the lactation period in rats were shown to program the thyroid function in adult life (Passos et al 2002, 2007, Dutra et al 2003, Lins et al 2005, Bonomo et al 2008.…”

“…Particularly, maternal nutritional and hormonal changes during the lactation period in rats were shown to program the thyroid function in adult life (Passos et al 2002, 2007, Dutra et al 2003, Lins et al 2005, Bonomo et al 2008. Since thyroid dysfunction is associated with marked changes on both energy expenditure and BW (Pontikides & Krassas 2007), it is interesting to evaluate the thyroid status in the model of programing by maternal NIC exposure during lactation.…”

Parasitological characteristics of Schistosoma mansoni infection in swiss mice with underlying malnutrition

“…Besides the economic factors, the nutritional habits and lack of nutritional guidance lead to a prevalence of this type of malnutrition during gestation, lactation (or both) in developing countries (Desai et al 1980, Onis et al 1993. Some studies have shown that protein malnutrition during lactation is associated with thyroid dysfunction in the dams and that the mother's nutrition during lactation can determine the body weight of their offspring in adult life (Passos et al 2002).…”

Effects of maternal nicotine exposure on thyroid hormone metabolism and function in adult rat progeny

“…We have shown that the preweaning period is an important period for the action of several imprinting factors. In this sense, we have shown the programing of body composition and endocrine function in rodents by nutritional (Passos et al 2002, Dutra et al 2003, Rodrigues et al 2009), hormonal (Gao et al 2005, Toste et al 2006a,b, Bonomo et al 2008) and environmental factors during lactation.…”