title: Effect of diet during pregnancy and lactation on the activity of HMG-CoA reductase in the developing rat.
abstract: Wistar rats were fed a control diet or a diet containing either cholestyramine or high fat and cholesterol throughout gestation and the first 14 d of lactation. New-born litters were cross-fostered from rats fed the control diet to rats fed either cholestyramine or high fat and cholesterol, or from rats fed cholestyramine to rats fed the control diet. Hepatic hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were assayed on gestation d 20 and postnatal d 8, 14, 22 and 30. Cholestyramine had no effect on maternal or fetal plasma lipid levels but increased fetal hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity by approximately 50%. The increased reductase activity persisted on postnatal d 8 and 14. Control pups suckled by dams fed cholestyramine also had significantly increased HMG-CoA reductase activities on postnatal d 8 and 14. The high fat and cholesterol diet significantly increased maternal plasma cholesterol but had no effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity in the fetus or suckling pups. Neither cholestyramine nor high fat and cholesterol altered the rat milk cholesterol levels. The studies demonstrate that HMG-CoA reductase activity in the developing rat can be altered by factors dependent on maternal diet. They do not support a hypothesis for regulation by maternal dietary or milk cholesterol supply.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Innis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000378:metabolism; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D008055:Lipids; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases