title: Prenatal high protein exposure decreases energy expenditure and increases adiposity in young rats.
abstract: Epidemiologic results suggest that protein intake in infancy and later adiposity might be related. We examined whether high dietary protein exposure in utero and/or during postnatal life affects body fatness. Two groups of female rats were mated and pair-fed isocaloric high (40% protein; HP) or adequate protein (20% protein; AP) diets throughout pregnancy. The male offspring were suckled (3 wk) by foster mothers pair-fed HP or AP diets, resulting in 4 pre-/postnatal groups (AP-AP, AP-HP, HP-AP, HP-HP). Subsequently, they were pair-fed the same diets their nurses received during lactation until wk 9. Offspring of HP dams had a lower body weight on d 2 of life than their AP counterparts (7.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 8.3 +/- 0.8 g; P < 0.001). HP-AP rats had a higher body weight than AP-AP controls at wk 3, 5, and 6 (P < 0.05), in contrast to HP-HP which did not differ from controls. Prenatal HP exposure resulted in a greater total and relative fat mass and decreased total energy expenditure at wk 9 (P < 0.05). Postnatal HP alone had no significant effect on body composition or metabolic rate. These results indicate that in utero exposure to a high protein level reprograms body weight and energy homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department Biochemistry and Physiology of Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition, 14558 Bergholz-Rehbrücke, Germany.
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daenzer
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ortmann
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.forename: Cornelia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Metges
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins