title: Changes of blood pressure, abdominal visceral fat tissue and gene expressions in fetal programming induced rat model after amlodipine-losartan combination treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are a number of complications that can occur if there is under-nutrition during pregnancy followed by a period of rapid catch-up growth, including a higher chance of adult obesity, insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of fetal under-nutrition during late pregnancy and lactation on blood pressure, visceral fat tissue, gene expressions and to evaluate changes after amlodipine- losartan combination treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were divided into three groups: the control (C) group, the food restriction (FR: 50 % food restricted diet) group, and the CX group, which was treated with Cozaar XQ (amlodipine- losartan combination drug) in FR rats from postnatal 4 to 20 weeks. Masson's trichrome staining was performed in the heart tissues. The amount of abdominal visceral fat tissues was measured. Western blot analysis such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II receptor type IA (ATIA), troponin I (Tn I) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body weights were significantly higher in the FR group compared with the C group at weeks 8 and 20 and lower in the CX group at week 20. Blood pressure was significantly higher in the FR group compared with the C group at week 20 and lower in the CX group at weeks 12 and 20. The amount of abdominal visceral fat was significantly higher in the FR group compared with the C group at weeks 8, 12 and 20 and significantly lower in the CX group at weeks 16 and 20. Protein expression of ATIA and eNOS were significantly reduced in the CX group at weeks 16 and 20. ACE was significantly reduced in the CX group at week 20 and Tn I was significantly reduced in the CX group at week 16.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When there is fetal under-nutrition during pregnancy, it leads to obesity, high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia and several gene changes in offspring. Amlodipine-losartan combination treatment was able to lower obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and several gene changes in rats suffering from fetal under-nutrition during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, 911-1, Mokdong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hyen
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, 911-1, Mokdong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeryon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, 911-1, Mokdong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Pil Je
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kwan Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ewha Womans University, 911-1, Mokdong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Hong
keywords: Blood pressure; Fetal programming; Gene expression; Visceral fat