Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency in Mice Increases White Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Offspring

Abstract

Vitamin D is acknowledged to play an important biological and metabolic role in adipose tissue, which is also the main storage site for this vitamin. Its anti-inflammatory effect in adipocytes and adipose tissue has notably been highlighted in adult mice. This vitamin is also crucial during fetal development since maternal vitamin D deficiency is suspected to program future metabolic disorders. Based on these observations, the aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of maternal vitamin D deficiency (VDD) on white adipose tissue inflammation in adult offspring fed with normal or obesogenic diet (high-fat diet). White adipose tissue morphology, RNA and miRNA expression profiles, and signaling pathways were studied in adult males and females. In males, a HF diet coupled with maternal VDD increased expression of RNA and miRNA linked to inflammation leading to over-representation of inflammatory pathways. Interestingly, genomic and epigenetic profiles were associated with activation of the NF-kB signaling pathway and adiposity index. In females, no major modulation of inflammatory pathways was observed under VDD, contrarily to males. We concluded that maternal VDD coupled with HF diet activated inflammatory pathway in adipose tissue of the offspring, in a sex-dependent manner. Such activation is strongly related to activation of NF-kB signaling and increased adiposity only in males.

Environmental Epigenetics and Obesity

“…Vitamin D (VD) is a type of secosterol produced endogenously in the skin and obtained by diet, exists in two forms vitamin-D2 and -D3 and the bioactive form is 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3(1,25(OH) 2 D3, calcitriol) involved in DNA methylation, in histone modifications and in miRNAs regulation [171]. Studies in mice have shown that a deficiency of maternal VD increases WA inflammatory responses in adults [172], thus, VD intake can limit inflammation and leukocyte infiltration by decreasing miR-146a, miR-150, and miR-155 after a high fat (HF) diet supplemented with VD [173]. Additionally, combination of vitamins intake in defined doses could have Environmental Epigenetics and Obesity DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110507 greater benefits as epidrugs compared with single intake, since an adequate dietary of both vitamin B9 (folate) and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) may protect against metabolic imbalance [174].…”

Maternal vitamin D deficiency and brain functions: a never-ending story

“…6 Under the same experimental conditions, maternal VDD coupled with a HFD induced an increase in white adipose tissue inflammation as well as increased adiposity in male offspring only, thus highlighting the sexual dimorphism in response to developmental VDD. 50 Maternal VDD is also associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes in the offspring. 51,52…”

“…6 Under the same experimental conditions, maternal VDD coupled with a HFD induced an increase in white adipose tissue inflammation as well as increased adiposity in male offspring only, thus highlighting the sexual dimorphism in response to developmental VDD. 50 Maternal VDD is also associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes in the offspring. 51,52 Maternal VD status also affects the epigenome of the foetus via different epigenetic mechanisms, particularly in the early stages of gestation, which can contribute to the onset and progression of diseases in adulthood.…”

Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency in Mice Sex‐Dependently Affects Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Offspring

“…Female mice (15 per group) were mated with males after being assigned to one of two experimental groups based on diet: control (AIN-93G with vitamin D3, 1.0 IU g −1 ) or vitamin D-depleted (AIN-93G without vitamin D3, 0.0 IU g −1 ) for 8 weeks, as previously described. [19,20] All females were fed a control diet (AIN-93G) after delivery until the offspring were weaned. The litter size of the females was lowered to six pups.…”