[Effects of maternal high protein diet on uncoupling protein and carnitine palmityl transferase 1 in offspring of rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of maternal nutritional manipulation on fetal mRNA abundance of uncoupling protein UCP2, UCP3 and carnitine palmityl transferase 1 (CPT1), and find out an optimal maternal diet and targets for pharmacological prevention and treatment of obesity.


METHODS
Wistar pregnant rats were assigned to two groups which received a standard diet (SD) and a high protein diet (HPD) during pregnancy, respectively. After delivery, the male offspring were assigned to control group (CON) and high protein group (HP) according to their maternal diet, which were suckled by dams that received SD during pregnancy. Offspring were fed with SD from weaning (week 3) to week 8. Then CON were allocated to two groups: CON (SD during the whole experiment); HFCON (high fat control). HFCON and HP group rats were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 wk to induce obesity. At 0, 3, 8 and 14 wk of age, blood and tissue were collected for analyzing blood fat and abundance of UCP2, 3 and CPT1 mRNA.


RESULTS
In HP body weight and TG were decreased after weaning (F = 4.589, P = 0.039; F = 27.001, P = 0.000) and HFD (F = 16.076, P = 0.00; F = 71.518, P = 0.000). Obesity rates were significantly decreased in HP after HFD (chi2 = 8.076, P = 0.004). The abundance of UCP3 and CPT1 mRNA was persistently higher in HP than in CON or HFCON, and the abundance of UCP2 mRNA was also persistently higher than in CON or HFCON after weaning. Moreover the abundance of CPT1 mRNA was significantly increased after weaning and HFD compared with that after SD, the abundance of UCP2, UCP3 mRNA was also increased after HFD compared with that after SD.


CONCLUSIONS
Increasing protein intake during pregnancy might prevent offspring from HFD-induced obesity in adult, moreover might increase offspring the expression of UCP2, UCP3 and CPT1 mRNA. UCP2, UCP3 and CPT1 might participate in prevention and treatment of obesity by mediating fatty acid oxidation.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
Yan-Mei
YM
Dong
Chang-Hao
CH
Sun
Li-Li
LL
Cui
Yan-Yan
YY
Wang
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005260:Female; D046910:Fertile Period; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3
D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000604391:Ucp2 protein, rat; C000604394:Ucp3 protein, rat; D000071246:Uncoupling Protein 2; D000071247:Uncoupling Protein 3; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase