Maternal taurine supplementation in rats partially prevents the adverse effects of early-life protein deprivation on β-cell function and insulin sensitivity

Abstract

Dietary protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation in rats impairs b-cell function and mass in neonates and leads to glucose intolerance in adult offspring. Maternal taurine (Tau) supplementation during pregnancy in rats restores b-cell function and mass in neonates, but its long-term effects are unclear. The prevention of postnatal catch-up growth has been suggested to improve glucose tolerance in adult offspring of low-protein (LP)-fed mothers. The objective of this study was to examine the relative contribution of b-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance to impaired glucose tolerance in 130-day-old rat offspring of LP-fed mothers and the effects of maternal Tau supplementation on b-cell function and insulin resistance in these offspring. Pregnant rats were fed i) control, ii) LP, and iii) LPCTau diets during gestation and lactation. Offspring were given a control diet following weaning. A fourth group consisting of offspring of LP-fed mothers, maintained on a LP diet following weaning, was also studied (LP-all life). Insulin sensitivity in the offspring of LP-fed mothers was reduced in females but not in males. In both genders, LP exposure decreased b-cell function. Tau supplementation improved insulin sensitivity in females and b-cell function in males. The LP-all life diet improved b-cell function in males. We conclude that i) maternal Tau supplementation has persistent effects on improving glucose metabolism (b-cell function and insulin sensitivity) in adult rat offspring of LP-fed mothers and ii) increasing the amount of protein in the diet of offspring adapted to a LP diet after weaning may impair glucose metabolism (b-cell function) in a gender-specific manner.

Regulation of postnatal pancreatic Pdx1 and downstream target genes after gestational exposure to protein restriction in rats

“…Restriction in early-, mid-, or late-gestation had different effects on the placenta and fetal weight (Villar & Belizan 1982, Painter et al 2005. Moreover, increasing the amount of protein in the diet at birth /or weaning in these LP offspring led to impaired glucose homeostasis and beta cell dysfunction at d130 in a gender-specific manner (Chamson-Reig et al 2009, Tang et al 2013). Sexual differences were also observed in humans, as males previously exposed to protein restriction in utero develop obesity (Anguita et al 1993), hypercholesterolemia, and triacylglycerolemia (Desai et al 1996).…”

“…Protein restriction throughout life LP1 resulted in offspring with lower body weight and reduced PDX1 and targets genes with unaltered b-cell function (Tang et al 2013). Nevertheless, when protein was reduced during gestation LP3 only, offspring had a higher body weight compared with the C group but presented a significant reduction of Pdx1 and downstream genes with dramatic consequences in glucose homeostasis in early adulthood.…”

“…This lower body weight was maintained in the LP1 group until d130. Recently, we showed that the LP1 diet improved b-cell function in males (Tang et al 2013) at d130. A previous study demonstrated that 20-week-old male offspring with the same diet LP1 were more insulin sensitive than offspring kept on a normal diet following birth (Sugden & Holness 2002), although no differences in insulin secretion and action were reported with females at the same age (Sugden & Holness 2002).…”

Maternal taurine supplementation attenuates maternal fructose-induced metabolic and inflammatory dysregulation and partially reverses adverse metabolic programming in offspring

“…In addition to its proximal effects, taurine supplementation to pregnant rats fed a low-protein diet has been shown to normalize pancreatic islet development and glucose and insulin homeostasis in offspring [20][21][22]. These beneficial effects on glucose metabolism persist into adult life [23]. We have also shown recently that maternal taurine supplementation can modify maternal and offspring markers related to hepatic inflammation and lipid metabolism in the setting of maternal obesity [24].…”

Effects of Taurine Supplementation on Hepatic Markers of Inflammation and Lipid Metabolism in Mothers and Offspring in the Setting of Maternal Obesity

“…Furthermore, maternal taurine supplementation to low protein mothers has been documented to normalise pancreatic islet development in offspring with normalisation of glucose and insulin homeostasis in later life [20]–[22]. These beneficial effects on glucose metabolism have been shown to persist into adult life [23]. Although the effects of maternal taurine supplementation as relates to improved glucose homeostasis and beta-cell function in offspring have been well documented, the direct effects of taurine supplementation on the mother are not well documented.…”