title: The beneficial effect of fiber supplementation in high- or low-fat diets on fetal development and antioxidant defense capacity in the rat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is mounting evidence that an imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant activities plays a pivotal role in fetal development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of maternal intake of fat and fiber on fetal intrauterine development and antioxidant defense systems of rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups according to diet: the low-fat, low-fiber group (LL); the low-fat, high-fiber group (LH); the high-fat, low-fiber group (HL); and the high-fat, high-fiber group (HH). The diets were fed 4 weeks prior to breeding through day 17.5 of pregnancy. Dietary intakes of fiber (wheat bran and oat) and fat were quantitatively varied, while intakes of energy and essential nutrients were kept constant among the diets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats fed a fiber-rich diet had significantly improved fetal numbers, as well as enhanced activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and capacity of scavenging free radicals (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the placental malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels were affected by the diet fat and fiber levels (p < 0.05). Compared with the LL group, the mRNA abundance of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and thioredoxin-2 (Trx2) in the maternal liver and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) in the placenta and fetus were significantly downregulated in the HL group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, rats fed a fiber-rich diet had significantly upregulated mRNA expressions of Cu,Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, and HIF-1α in the maternal liver (p < 0.05); Cu,Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD in the placenta (p < 0.05); and Cu,Zn-SOD in the fetus (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When energy intakes are equivalent, consumption of fiber in high- or low-fat diets benefits fetal development and growth, through improvements in maternal, placental, and fetal antioxidant defense capacities.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, and Animal Nutrition Institute of Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625014, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xing-fa
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zheng-feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Lian-qiang
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Che
authors.forename: De
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiu-qun
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Cai-mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005326:Fetal Proteins; C497444:Hif1a protein, rat; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C516113:Txn2 protein, rat; D013879:Thioredoxins; D010088:Oxidoreductases