Supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnant rats with mild diabetes normalizes placental PPARγ and mTOR signaling in female offspring developing gestational diabetes

Diet Enriched with Olive Oil Attenuates Placental Dysfunction in Rats with Gestational Diabetes Induced by Intrauterine Programming

“…Because mTORC1 is a positive regulator of amino acid transport in the placenta, it is possible that the attenuated fetal overgrowth in response to supplementation of the maternal diet with 6% olive oil is due to reduced placental mTORC1 signaling and subsequent decreased amino acid availability. In a recent study, prevention of fetal overgrowth and normalization of placental mTOR signaling were observed in GDM rats whose mothers (F0 generation) were fed with a PUFA‐enriched diet in the F0 generation, suggesting that supplementation with unsaturated fatty acids in the F0 pregnancy may be required to completely prevent placental dysfunction in the F1 pregnancy in which GDM develops. Further work is needed to address possible sex‐dependent changes in the parameters evaluated, although our previous studies showed no sex‐dependent changes in fetal weight or placental weight (unpublished data) in healthy and GDM rats.…”

“…Maternal blood and pooled fetal blood were collected and processed for determination of blood glucose. Placentae of F1 rats ( n = 6–8 in each experimental group, each dam from a different F0 mother) were homogenized in ice‐cold buffer D (250 m m sucrose, 10 m m Hepes‐Tris, pH 7.4 with protease and phosphatase inhibitors), as previously, and stored at −80 °C for determination of protein expression of PPARγ and of total and phosphorylated mTOR downstream targets using Western blot. Placental tissues were also frozen and stored at –80 °C for subsequent determination of lipoperoxidation or prepared for immunohistochemical analysis of CTGF and MMP2.…”

“…Placental homogenates were prepared and proteins separated by SDS‐PAGE and transferred to PVDF membranes (35V constant, overnight at 4 °C), as previously described . The membranes were stained with Amido Black staining solution for total proteins (Sigma‐Aldrich) to confirm equal loading and transfer.…”

“…Our previous studies have shown that maternal diets enriched with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are known to activate the three PPAR isoforms, reduce the levels of pro‐oxidant and pro‐inflammatory markers in placentae of rats with mild diabetes . More recently, we reported that treatments with PUFAs during the pregnancy of the initial parent generation (F0) of rats with mild diabetes normalize placental PPARɣ and mTOR signaling, reduce oxidative stress in the placenta and prevent fetal overgrowth in the F1 pregnant offspring that develop GDM . In the current work, we focused on the F1 generation susceptible to develop GDM and hypothesized that an olive oil‐supplemented diet in this F1 generation attenuates placental dysfunction.…”

Maternal and Early Postnatal Diet Supplemented with Conjugated Linoleic Acid Isomers Affect Lipid Profile in Hearts of Offspring Rats with Mammary Tumors

“…To date, a plethora of experiments have focused mainly on the under and over-nutrition of mothers (e.g., a low protein diet [23], high fat diet [24], caloric restrictions [25], and obesity [26]). Recent studies have shown that bioactive compounds introduced into the maternal diet may significantly influence the composition and/or functioning of certain tissues and organs [27][28][29]. One of the most important nutrients required for fetal growth and development is fatty acids (FAs).…”