Gene expression profiles in fetal and neonatal rat offspring of energy-restricted dams.
OBJECTIVE
Nutrition during fetal and early postnatal development can have permanent effects on physiology resulting in an increased risk for disease in later life. The aim of this study was to explore changes in gene expression related to maternal energy restriction during pregnancy in rat fetuses and in neonatal rat offspring.


METHODS
From day 4 of gestation until parturition, energy-restricted dams received either 75 or 50% of ad libitum food intake. Microarray analyses were performed on whole 13- and 17-day fetuses and 1-day-old pups. Protein and fat contents of the dams' milk were analyzed in the different feeding groups.


RESULTS
A surprisingly small number of genes were differentially expressed between the groups, probably due to the strict control of fetal development. Interestingly, the expressions of many pancreatic digestion enzymes were reduced in the 1-day-old pups of the energy-restricted dams. A statistically significant difference in milk protein content was observed on day 1 post-partum between the gestationally food-restricted groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The expressions of several genes that may have an important role in the normal development of organs were affected by undernutrition during fetal development. In addition, undernutrition may have affected the function of the exocrine pancreas.
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu and Clinical Research Center, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. mirella.hietaniemi@oulu.fi
Mirella
M
Hietaniemi
Merja
M
Santaniemi
Elina
E
Malo
Olavi
O
Ukkola
Y Antero
YA
Kesäniemi
Maarit
M
Jokela
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000235:genetics; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000235:genetics; D002919:Chymotrypsinogen / Q000235:genetics; D003459:Crystallins / Q000235:genetics; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics
D003459:Crystallins; D018969:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D002919:Chymotrypsinogen; D019703:Calcineurin; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C117309:pancreatic elastase II