title: Maternal protein restriction affects gene expression and enzyme activity of intestinal disaccharidases in adult rat offspring.
abstract: This study investigated the consequences of intrauterine protein restriction on the gastrointestinal tract and particularly on the gene expression and activity of intestinal disaccharidases in the adult offspring. Wistar rat dams were fed isocaloric diets containing 6% protein (restricted, n = 8) or 17% protein (control, n = 8) throughout gestation. Male offspring (n = 5-8 in each group) were evaluated at 3 or 16 weeks of age. Maternal protein restriction during pregnancy produced offspring with growth restriction from birth (5.7 ± 0.1 vs 6.3 ± 0.1 g; mean ± SE) to weaning (42.4 ± 1.3 vs 49.1 ± 1.6 g), although at 16 weeks of age their body weight was similar to control (421.7 ± 8.9 and 428.5 ± 8.5 g). Maternal protein restriction also increased lactase activity in the proximal (0.23 ± 0.02 vs 0.15 ± 0.02), medial (0.30 ± 0.06 vs 0.14 ± 0.01) and distal (0.43 ± 0.07 vs 0.07 ± 0.02 U·g-1·min-1) small intestine, and mRNA lactase abundance in the proximal intestine (7.96 ± 1.11 vs 2.38 ± 0.47 relative units) of 3-week-old offspring rats. In addition, maternal protein restriction increased sucrase activity (1.20 ± 0.02 vs 0.91 ± 0.02 U·g-1·min-1) and sucrase mRNA abundance (4.48 ± 0.51 vs 1.95 ± 0.17 relative units) in the duodenum of 16-week-old rats. In conclusion, the present study shows for the first time that intrauterine protein restriction affects gene expression of intestinal enzymes in offspring.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: P D G
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buratini
authors.forename: A C S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Castilho
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: D R S
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: M L M
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vicentini-Paulino
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D004186:Disaccharidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004186:Disaccharidases