Trans fatty acids in maternal milk lead to cardiac insulin resistance in adult offspring.
OBJECTIVE
Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are derived from vegetable oil hydrogenation and can be found in most manufactured food products. Our main objective was to evaluate the effects of TFA consumption by lactating dams on cardiac glucose metabolism of adult offspring by analyzing glucose transporter-4 in the left ventricle. To investigate the energy homeostasis, insulin sensitivity and hepatic glycogen content were also measured.


METHODS
Lactating Wistar rats were divided into a control group or a TFA group. The control group received a diet containing soybean oil, and the TFA group received a diet containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (total trans concentration of about 10.58 mg/g, 11.75%, of total fat) throughout the lactation period. At weaning, pups from both groups received a standard chow until 60 d of age, at which time the quantity of glucose transporter-4 in the left ventricle and hepatic glycogen were measured. Moreover, insulin sensitivity was analyzed by assessing the insulin/glucose ratio and the homeostatic model assessment index.


RESULTS
TFA consumption by the pups during lactation led to a significant decrease in the cardiac content of glucose transporter-4 (P < 0.05) and in the hepatic content of glycogen (P < 0.05). Moreover, we observed impaired insulin sensitivity in the TFA group (insulin/glucose ratio and homeostatic model assessment index, P < 0.05) in adulthood.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that the consumption of hydrogenated fat, rich in TFAs, by the mothers during the lactation period caused cardiac insulin resistance in the adult progeny, thus reinforcing the hypothesis that early adaptations may cause deleterious consequences later in life.
Osso
Fernanda Silveira
FS
Laboratory of Nutrition and Developmental Physiology, Department of Physiology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Moreira
Annie Seixas Bello
AS
Teixeira
Michelle Teixeira
MT
Pereira
Renata Oliveira
RO
Tavares do Carmo
Maria das Graças
Md
Moura
Aníbal Sanchez
AS
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013024:Soybean Oil; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014886:Weaning
D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D010938:Plant Oils; D044242:Trans Fatty Acids; D013024:Soybean Oil