Maternal preconceptional nutrition leads to variable fat deposition and gut dimensions of adult offspring mice (C57BL/6JBom)

Abstract

Background: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy or lactation may affect the chance of offspring becoming obese as adults, but little is known regarding the possible role of maternal nutrition before conception. In this study, we investigate how variable protein and carbohydrate content of the diet consumed before pregnancy affects fat deposition and gut dimensions of offspring mice. Methods: Eight-week-old female mice (C57BL/6JBom) were fed isocaloric low protein (8.4% protein; LP), standard protein (21.5% protein; ST) or high protein (44.2% protein; HP) diets. After 8 weeks of feeding, females were mated and fed a standard laboratory chow diet (22.5% protein) throughout periods of mating, gestation, lactation and weaning. Offspring mice were fed the same standard diet up to 46 days of age. Then offspring were killed and measures of dissected fat deposits and of the digestive system were taken. Results: Fat deposition of the offspring was significantly affected by preconceptional maternal nutrition and the effects differed between sexes. Male offspring deposited most fat when mothers were fed the LP diet, whereas female offspring deposited most fat when mothers were fed the ST diet. The mass and length of the digestive organs were affected by preconceptional maternal nutrition. Total gut from pyloric sphincter to anus was significantly shorter and dry mass was heavier in mice whose mothers were fed LP diets compared with offspring of mothers fed ST diets or HP diets. There was no significant effect of maternal nutrition on dry mass of the stomach or ceca. Conclusion: Our study shows that preconceptional nutrition can have important influence on several body features of offspring in mice, including body composition and dimensions of the digestive system.

The Role of Maternal Dietary Proteins in Development of Metabolic Syndrome in Offspring

“…These findings suggest that in female offspring born to dams fed low protein diets during oocyte development are programmed to up regulate energy storing and down regulate energy utilizing pathways in adipose tissue during catch up growth. Additionally, offspring from these test sets displayed significant elevated SBP at 52 weeks of age compared with the control test set [ 209 ]. In yet another similar study, adult offspring of mice fed a low protein diet (8.4% protein diet) 8 weeks prior to conception and then regular chow during gestation (starting at day 0 of conception), had altered fat deposition and gut dimensions.…”

Maternal Periconceptional and Gestational Low Protein Diet Affects Mouse Offspring Growth, Cardiovascular and Adipose Phenotype at 1 Year of Age

“…Recently, it has been shown that feeding a methyl deficient diet to rat dams, from 3 weeks preconception to 5 days following conception, resulted in altered glucose tolerance in male offspring [22]. Moreover, in the mouse, feeding a maternal LPD for 8 weeks prior to conception has been shown to increase fat deposition and alter digestive physiology in offspring [23].…”

Maternal protein restriction before pregnancy reduces offspring early body mass and affects glucose metabolism in C57BL/6JBom mice

“…In a previous study with the same mouse strain and the same experimental protocol as in the current experiment, it was found that LP male offspring have increased adiposity as early as 46 days of age. 17 The two studies in combination indicate that maternal protein restriction before pregnancy affects offspring body mass, body composition and glucose metabolism and can therefore modify offspring risk of developing lifestyleacquired diseases.…”

“…13,14 Animal studies supplement these findings by demonstrating that maternal caloric and protein restriction exclusively before pregnancy leads to accelerated postnatal growth in ewes and affects offspring vascular function in ewes and mice, 15,16 as well as increases male offspring adiposity at young adulthood in mice. 17 Here we study how reduced maternal protein intake before conception affects offspring early body mass and their insulin-mediated glucose metabolism. As the offspring are not directly exposed to protein restriction during development, we expect the effects to operate through maternal body composition and/or physiological state, and we therefore examine maternal food intake, body mass, organ size and adiposity before conception to investigate whether any of these factors account for changes induced in the offspring.…”