Impaired insulin secretion in perfused pancreases isolated from offspring of female rats fed a low protein whey-based diet.
BACKGROUND
Insufficient maternal protein intake has been postulated to cause impaired fuel metabolism and diabetes mellitus in adult mammalian progeny, but the mechanism remains unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a maternal low protein whey-based diet during pregnancy and lactation on pancreatic function and skeletal muscle glucose metabolism in the offspring.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats: 8 mothers and 46 offspring.


METHODS
Female rats were fed throughout pregnancy and lactation with otherwise-complete isoenergetic diets sufficient (20% whey protein; control: n=3) or insufficient (5% whey protein; low-protein: n=5) in whey protein. From weaning all offspring ate control diet.


METHODS
Food intake and weight gain were measured for both mothers and offspring, and in vitro functional studies of endocrine pancreas and skeletal muscle were performed on offspring at 40 and 50 days of age, respectively.


RESULTS
Food intake (P=0.004) and weight gain (P=0.006) were lower in low protein than control mothers during early gestation. Offspring of low protein mothers had significant lower body weight from 5 to 15 days of age, although there was no significant difference in food consumption. Glucose, arginine- and glucose/arginine-stimulated insulin secretion from perfused pancreases isolated from low protein offspring were decreased by between 55 and 65% compared with control values. Studies in skeletal muscle demonstrated no difference in insulin sensitivity between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary whey protein insufficiency in female rats during pregnancy and lactation can evoke major changes in insulin secretion in progeny, and these changes represent a persistent functional abnormality in the endocrine pancreas.
Barnett
Matthew P G
MP
School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. matthew.barnett@agresearch.co.nz
Phillips
Anthony R J
AR
Harris
Patricia M
PM
Cooper
Garth J S
GJ
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000009:adverse effects; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009035:Mothers; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015430:Weight Gain; D000067816:Whey Proteins
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D006003:Glycogen; D005947:Glucose