Maternal fish oil supplementation benefits programmed offspring from rat dams fed low-protein diet.
OBJECTIVE
We hypothesized that maternal fish oil supplementation would prevent the programming of offspring cardiovascular alterations.


METHODS
Forty rats were fed during the perinatal period with normal-protein (NP) diet (19%) or low-protein (LP) diet (5%) and also received daily fish oil supplement (Fo). Offspring were divided into male and female NP, NP plus Fo, and LP and LP plus Fo groups (n = 5, each) until 6 months old. Cardiac structure was examined.


RESULTS
Both LP sexes had mild hypertension, but Fo supplementation minimized hypertension. The left ventricle was thicker in the LP groups and less thick in the LP plus Fo groups. The male LP had significantly fewer intramyocardial microcirculation, whereas the male LP plus Fo had 90% more microcirculation than the LP group. The LP group had significantly higher interstitial fibrosis, compared with the NP groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Postnatal hypertension and collateral cardiovascular adverse remodeling were programmed by perinatal LP diet, whose outcomes were alleviated by maternal fish oil supplementation.
Gregório
Bianca Martins
BM
Department of Anatomy, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology Rio de Janeiro, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Souza-Mello
Vanessa
V
Mandarim-de-Lacerda
Carlos A
CA
Aguila
Márcia Barbosa
MB
D000818:Animals; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
D005395:Fish Oils