title: Duration of maternal undernutrition differentially alters fetal growth and hormone concentrations.
abstract: To investigate the impact of duration of maternal undernutrition in twin sheep pregnancies, ewes were either fed 100% (C) or 50% of their nutrient requirements from 28 to 78 d gestational age (dGA) and readjusted to 100% beginning at 79 dGA (LC) or continuously restricted from 28 to 135 dGA (LL). Weights of the fetus, empty carcass, brain, and liver were greater in the LC than LL fetuses at 135 dGA (P ≤ 0.05). Although umbilical vein (UmV) glucose concentrations did not differ, the UmV:umbilical artery (UmA) glucose gradient was smaller (0.26 ± 0.03 vs 0.38 ± 0.03 and 0.39 ± 0.04 mmol L(-1); P ≤ 0.05) in LL than C and LC fetuses, respectively. Umbilical vein concentrations of IGF-1 were less (46.7 ± 5.62 vs 74.3 ± 6.71 ng/mL; P ≤ 0.05) in LL than LC fetuses. Additionally, LL fetuses tended (P ≤ 0.10) to have lower UmA concentrations of insulin (0.24 ± 0.13 vs 0.70 ± 0.15 ng/mL) and IGF-1 (66.6 ± 7.51 vs 91.4 ± 8.97 ng/mL) than LC fetuses. Although most of the observed differences occurred between LC and LL pregnancies, LC fetuses tended (P ≤ 0.10) to have greater UmV and UmA pCO2 than C fetuses. Furthermore, the UmV:UmA O2 content gradient tended to be greater (5.02 ± 0.43 vs 3.41 ± 0.47; P ≤ 0.10) in C than LL fetuses. UmA placental lactogen also tended to be greater (46.6 ± 4.40 vs 31.1 ± 4.69 ng/mL; P ≤ 0.10) in LL than C fetuses. These data suggest that in twin pregnancies, maternal undernutrition followed by realimentation induces a different fetal outcome compared with continuous nutrient restriction, and both may differ physiologically from control fed pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Field
authors.affiliation: Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Engle
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Archibeque
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Keisler
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Electronic address: hyungchul.han@colostate.edu.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D020567:Fetal Weight; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014471:Umbilical Veins
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D010928:Placental Lactogen
keywords: Fetal growth; Maternal undernutrition; Umbilical blood