title: Sexual dimorphism in fat distribution and metabolic profile in mice offspring from diet-induced obese mothers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the effects of diet-induced obesity in mothers are passed on to their offspring fed a control diet in a gender-specific manner.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mother mice received either standard chow (SC; 17% energy from fat) or high-fat (HF; 49% energy from fat) diet for eight weeks pre-pregnancy until lactation. After weaning (at 21 days of age), offspring received SC diet and were divided into four groups according to the mother's diet (Mo): male Mo-SC, female Mo-SC, male Mo-HF, and female Mo-HF. Stereology, Elisa and western blotting were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HF diet-fed mothers were overweight, and had metabolic abnormalities, all of which were found in their adult offspring. Male Mo-HF offspring had higher cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin and insulin levels and lower circulating adiponectin than female Mo-HF offspring. Mo-HF offspring of both genders had higher expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and leptin and lower expression of adiponectin than Mo-SC offspring; however, male Mo-HF were more affected than female Mo-HF offspring for these variables, demonstrating sexual dimorphism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to HF diet is effective in inducing obesity and metabolic alterations in mothers, and this phenotype can be passed on to their offspring. An adverse pattern in the body fat distribution in males probably has favored the intensification of a pro-inflammatory profile compared with females. In adulthood, the male offspring responds to the maternal obesity more than the female offspring, indicating a relevant sexual dimorphism that is a novel finding in this animal study.
authors: Laboratory of Morphometry, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors: Fernanda
authors: F
authors: Ornellas
authors: Vanessa Souza
authors: VS
authors: Mello
authors: Carlos A
authors: CA
authors: Mandarim-de-Lacerda
authors: Marcia B
authors: MB
authors: Aguila
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D020738:Leptin
keywords: Adipose tissue; Maternal obesity; Metabolic profile; Sexual dimorphism