title: Food restriction during pregnancy in rabbits: effects on hormones and metabolites involved in energy homeostasis and metabolic programming.
abstract: This study examined the effects of food restriction during rabbit pregnancy on hormones and metabolites involved in energy homeostasis and metabolic programming. Pregnant does were assigned to four groups: the control group was fed a standard ration while the others received a restricted amount of food (30% restriction) during early (0-9 days), mid (9-18 days), and late (19-28 days) pregnancy. The pregnancy induced a coordinated range of adaptations to fulfil energy requirements of both mother and foetus, such as hyperleptinaemia and hyperinsulinaemia, reduced insulin sensitivity, increased cortisol and non-esterified fatty acid. Food restriction altered leptin, insulin, T3, non-esterified fatty acids and glucose concentrations depending on the gestational phase in which it was applied. Collectively, present data confirm that the endocrinology of pregnancy and the adaptive responses to energy deficit make the rabbit an ideal model for studying nutritional-related disorders and foetal programming of metabolic disease.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06121, Italy. Electronic address: lallymen@libero.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menchetti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06121, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brecchia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06121, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Canali
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Ambientali e Alimentari, Università di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia 06121, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardinali
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06121, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polisca
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, via Circonvallazione 93, Matelica 62024, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerani
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06121, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boiti
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000662:veterinary*; D023421:Models, Animal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Cortisol; Glucose; Insulin; Leptin; Pregnancy; Rabbit; T3