Hepatic structural alteration in adult programmed offspring (severe maternal protein restriction) is aggravated by post-weaning high-fat diet.
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a post-weaning high-fat (HF) diet upon hepatic morphology in rats subjected to perinatal protein restriction. Pregnant Wistar rats were assigned to a normal-protein diet (NP; with 19 % of protein) or a low-protein (LP) diet (with 5 % of protein). At weaning, the following groups were formed: NP and NP-HF, males and females, which were fed standard chow and an HF diet, respectively. Likewise, LP rat dams originated LP and LP-HF offspring, both sexes. Euthanasia was performed at 6 months of age. Three-way ANOVA disclosed a three-factor interaction among sex, perinatal diet and HF diet in relation to body mass, retroperitoneal fat pad, liver mass:tibia length ratio, binucleation rate and hepatocyte area at 6 months old (P < 0.05). The high-fat diet intensified the effects of perinatal protein restriction concerning systolic blood pressure, genital fat pad and hepatocyte number (P < 0.05; two-way ANOVA). Furthermore, higher steatosis rates and insulin and leptin concentrations were found in males fed on the HF diet, indicating a sex-post-weaning diet interaction (P < 0.05; two-way ANOVA). Fetal programming and HF diet as a single stimulus caused mild hypertension at 3 months, an important reduction in hepatocyte number as well as stage 1 steatosis at 6 months. However, hypertension and hepatocyte number deficit were worsened and grade 2 steatosis occurred after exposure to the HF diet. All of these serve to highlight the paramount importance of intra-uterine conditions and postnatal diet quality when it comes to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases.
Souza-Mello
Vanessa
V
Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Av. 28 de Setembro 87 (fds), 20551-030 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Mandarim-de-Lacerda
Carlos A
CA
Aguila
Márcia B
MB
D000818:Animals; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006973:Hypertension / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors; D014886:Weaning
D004041:Dietary Fats; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin