A low-protein diet during pregnancy alters glucose metabolism and insulin secretion.
In pancreatic islets, glucose metabolism is a key process for insulin secretion, and pregnancy requires an increase in insulin secretion to compensate for the typical insulin resistance at the end of this period. Because a low-protein diet decreases insulin secretion, this type of diet could impair glucose homeostasis, leading to gestational diabetes. In pancreatic islets, we investigated GLUT2, glucokinase and hexokinase expression patterns as well as glucose uptake, utilization and oxidation rates. Adult control non-pregnant (CNP) and control pregnant (CP) rats were fed a normal protein diet (17%), whereas low-protein non-pregnant (LPNP) and low-protein pregnant (LPP) rats were fed a low-protein diet (6%) from days 1 to 15 of pregnancy. The insulin secretion in 2.8 mmol l(-1) of glucose was higher in islets from LPP rats than that in islets from CP, CNP and LPNP rats. Maximal insulin release was obtained at 8.3 and 16.7 mmol l(-1) of glucose in LPP and CP groups, respectively. The glucose dose-response curve from LPNP group was shifted to the right in relation to the CNP group. In the CP group, the concentration-response curve to glucose was shifted to the left compared with the CNP group. The LPP groups exhibited an "inverted U-shape" dose-response curve. The alterations in the GLUT2, glucokinase and hexokinase expression patterns neither impaired glucose metabolism nor correlated with glucose islet sensitivity, suggesting that β-cell sensitivity to glucose requires secondary events other than the observed metabolic/molecular events.
Cooperativa de Trabalho Médico, UNIMED, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Denise de Fátima I
Dde F
Souza
Letícia M
LM
Ignácio-Souza
Sílvia Regina de L
SR
Reis
Marise Auxiliadora de B
MA
Reis
Luiz Fabrizio
LF
Stoppiglia
Everardo Magalhães
EM
Carneiro
Antonio Carlos
AC
Boschero
Vanessa Cristina
VC
Arantes
Márcia Queiroz
MQ
Latorraca
D000818:Animals; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005941:Glucokinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D051273:Glucose Transporter Type 2; D007328:Insulin; D006593:Hexokinase; D005941:Glucokinase; D005947:Glucose