title: High and low protein∶ carbohydrate dietary ratios during gestation alter maternal-fetal cortisol regulation in pigs.
abstract: Imbalanced maternal nutrition during gestation can cause alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system in offspring. The present study investigated the effects of maternal low- and high-protein diets during gestation in pigs on the maternal-fetal HPA regulation and expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (11β-HSD1 and 11β-HSD2) and c-fos mRNAs in the placenta and fetal brain. Twenty-seven German Landrace sows were fed diets with high (HP, 30%), low (LP, 6.5%) or adequate (AP, 12.1%) protein levels made isoenergetic by varying the carbohydrate levels. On gestational day 94, fetuses were recovered under general anesthesia for the collection of blood, brain and placenta samples. The LP diet in sows increased salivary cortisol levels during gestation compared to the HP and AP sows and caused an increase of placental GR and c-fos mRNA expression. However, the diurnal rhythm of plasma cortisol was disturbed in both LP and HP sows. Total plasma cortisol concentrations in the umbilical cord vessels were elevated in fetuses from HP sows, whereas corticosteroid-binding globulin levels were decreased in LP fetuses. In the hypothalamus, LP fetuses displayed an enhanced mRNA expression of 11β-HSD1 and a reduced expression of c-fos. Additionally, the 11β-HSD2 mRNA expression was decreased in both LP and HP fetuses. The present results suggest that both low and high protein∶carbohydrate dietary ratios during gestation may alter the expression of genes encoding key determinants of glucocorticoid hormone action in the fetus with potential long-lasting consequences for stress adaptation and health.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany. ekanitz@fbn-dummerstorf.de
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kanitz
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: Margret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuchscherer
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gräbner
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Brüssow
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rehfeldt
authors.forename: Cornelia C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Metges
mesh_terms: D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014156:Transcortin / Q000378:metabolism; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000098:blood supply
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D014156:Transcortin; D042842:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D006854:Hydrocortisone