title: Maternal protein restriction compromises myocardial contractility in the young adult rat by changing proteins involved in calcium handling.
abstract: Maternal protein restriction (MPR) during pregnancy is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in the offspring in adulthood. In this study we evaluated the cardiac function of young male rats born from mothers subjected to MPR during pregnancy, focusing on the myocardial mechanics and calcium-handling proteins. After weaning, rats received normal diet until 3 mo old, when the following parameters were assessed: arterial and left ventricular hemodynamics and in vitro cardiac contractility in isolated papillary muscles. The body weight was lower and arterial pressure higher in the MPR group compared with young adult offspring of female rats that received standard diet (controls); and left ventricle time derivatives increased in the MPR group. The force developed by the cardiac muscle was similar; but time to peak and relaxation time were longer, and the derivatives of force were depressed in the MPR. In addition, MPR group exhibited decreased post-pause potentiation of force, suggesting reduced reuptake function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Corroborating, the myocardial content of SERCA-2a and phosphorylated PLB-Ser16/total PLB ratio was decreased and sodium-calcium exchanger was increased in the MPR group. The contraction dependent on transsarcolemmal influx of calcium was higher in MPR if compared with the control group. In summary, young rats born from mothers subjected to protein restriction during pregnancy exhibit changes in the myocardial mechanics with altered expression of calcium-handling proteins, reinforcing the hypothesis that maternal malnutrition is related to increased cardiovascular risk in the offspring, not only for hypertension, but also cardiac dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil; Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; and.
authors.forename: Aucelia C S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Belchior
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; and Department of Physiological Sciences, EMESCAM, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil;
authors.forename: Carlos P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; and Department of Physiological Sciences, EMESCAM, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dalton V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; and.
authors.forename: Alessandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Padilha
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil; and leodossantos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012307:Risk Factors; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000378:metabolism; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D019831:Sodium-Calcium Exchanger; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D002118:Calcium
keywords: calcium homeostasis; cardiac contractility; maternal malnutrition; papillary muscle