Effect of postnatal high-protein diet on kidney function of rats exposed to intrauterine protein restriction.
Poor fetal growth is linked with long-term detrimental effects on health in late life. We have previously shown that maternal protein restriction leads to hypertension and a reduced number of glomeruli in adult offspring. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a postnatal high-protein (HP) diet on renal development and renal function in rats subjected to a low-protein (LP) diet in fetal life. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed an LP diet throughout pregnancy. Male pups were given either a normal-protein (NP) diet (LP/NP) or HP diet (LP/HP), and normal male pups as control (NP/NP). At 12 wk, LP/HP offspring displayed no increase in glomerular number but showed elevated blood pressure and proteinuria compared with the LP/NP group. There was minimal fusion of foot processes in LP/NP rats compared with a moderate fusion of foot processes and hyperplasia of mesangial cells in LP/HP rats. Renal desmin mRNA levels were elevated in both LP/NP and LP/HP groups but more significantly in the LP/HP group. This study suggests that postnatal HP diet amplifies the renal damage induced by fetal under-nutrition. Podocyte injury may be one of the mechanisms by which fetal protein restriction leads to proteinuria.
Chen
Jing
J
Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China.
Xu
Hong
H
Shen
Qian
Q
Guo
Wei
W
Sun
Li
L
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D004044:Dietary Proteins