title: Protective effects of maternal nutritional supplementation with lactoferrin on growth and brain metabolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a major risk factor for both perinatal and long-term morbidity. Bovine lactoferrin (bLf) is a major milk glycoprotein considered as a pleiotropic functional nutrient. The impact of maternal supplementation with bLf on IUGR-induced sequelae, including inadequate growth and altered cerebral development, remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  IUGR was induced through maternal dexamethasone infusion (100 μg/kg during last gestational week) in rats. Maternal supplementation with bLf (0.85% in food pellet) was provided during both gestation and lactation. Pup growth was monitored, and Pup brain metabolism and gene expression were studied using in vivo (1)H NMR spectroscopy, quantitative PCR, and microarray in the hippocampus at postnatal day (PND)7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal bLf supplementation did not change gestational weight but increased the birth body weight of control pups (4%) with no effect on the IUGR pups. Maternal bLf supplementation allowed IUGR pups to recover a normalized weight at PND21 (weaning) improving catch-up growth. Significantly altered levels of brain metabolites (γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, N-acetylaspartate, and N-acetylaspartylglutamate) and transcripts (brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT-1), and glutamate receptors) in IUGR pups were normalized with maternal bLf supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that maternal bLf supplementation is a beneficial nutritional intervention able to revert some of the IUGR-induced sequelae, including brain hippocampal changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somm
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larvaron
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland [2] Laboratory for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, E´cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Yohan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: van de Looij
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toulotte
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatagner
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faure
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Métairon
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mansourian
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, E´cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gruetter
authors.affiliation: 1] Nestlé Research Center, Lausanne, Switzerland [2] School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stéphane V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sizonenko
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Development and Growth, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Petra S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hüppi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D007774:Lactation; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D007781:Lactoferrin