title: High-fat diet prevents adaptive peripartum-associated adrenal gland plasticity and anxiolysis.
abstract: Maternal obesity is associated with lower basal plasma cortisol levels and increased risk of postpartum psychiatric disorders. Given that both obesity and the peripartum period are characterized by an imbalance between adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, we hypothesized that the adrenal glands undergo peripartum-associated plasticity and that such changes would be prevented by a high-fat diet (HFD). Here, we demonstrate substantial peripartum adrenal gland plasticity in the pathways involved in cholesterol supply for steroidogenesis in female rats. In detail, the receptors involved in plasma lipid uptake, low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) and scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SRB1), are elevated, intra-adrenal cholesterol stores are depleted, and a key enzyme in de novo cholesterol synthesis, hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), is downregulated; particularly at mid-lactation. HFD prevented the lactation-associated anxiolysis, basal hypercorticism, and exaggerated the corticosterone response to ACTH. Moreover, we show that HFD prevented the downregulation of adrenal cholesterol stores and HMGCR expression, and LDLR upregulation at mid-lactation. These findings show that the adrenal gland is an important regulator of peripartum-associated HPA axis plasticity and that HFD has maladaptive consequences for the mother, partly by preventing these neuroendocrine and also behavioural changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.|Department of Obstetrics and Fetal medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Clara V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Perani
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.|Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Reber
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Slattery
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D058725:Peripartum Period / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002784:Cholesterol; D006903:Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; D003345:Corticosterone