title: Competition for Materno-Fetal Resource Partitioning in a Rabbit Model of Undernourished Pregnancy.
abstract: The major goal of animal production is to obtain abundant and healthy meat for consumers. Maternal food restriction (MFR) is often applied in farms to reduce production costs. However, the suitability of MFR in livestock animals is questionable, as this management may compromise maternal fitness due to a severe negative energetic balance and can induce Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) and prenatal programming in the offspring. Here, we sought to determine, using pregnant rabbits, the consequences of MFR on maternal endocrine and metabolic status and conceptus development. Pregnant dams were distributed into three groups: CONTROL (ad libitum feeding throughout the entire pregnancy; mean pregnancy length being around 31 days), UNDERFED (50% MFR during the entire pregnancy) and EARLY-UNDERFED (50% MFR only during the preimplantation period, Days 0-7). Maternal leptin concentrations and glycemic and lipid profiles were determined throughout pregnancy, whilst conceptus development was assessed ex-vivo at Day 28. Placental parameters were determined by macroscopic and histological evaluations and apoptotic assessments (TUNEL and Caspase-3). The main results of the study showed that, despite MFR altered maternal plasma lipid concentration (P<0.05), there were no effects on maternal bodyweight, plasma leptin concentration or glycemic profile. Fetal crown-rump lengths were reduced in both undernourished groups (P<0.001), but a significant reduction in fetal weight was only observed in the UNDERFED group (P<0.001). Growth in both undernourished groups was asymmetrical, with reduced liver weight (P<0.001) and significantly increased brain: fetal weight-ratio (P<0.001) and brain: liver weight-ratio (P<0.001) when compared to the CONTROL group. A significant reduction in placental weight was only observed in the UNDERFED group (P<0.001), despite both undernourished groups showing higher apoptotic rates at decidua and labyrinth zone (P<0.05) than the CONTROL group. Thus, these groups evidenced signs of placental degeneration, necrosis and stromal collapse. In summary, MFR may encourage the mother to make strategic decisions to safeguard her metabolic status and fitness at the expense of growth reduction in the litter, resulting in enhanced apoptotic and pathological processes at placental level and IUGR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lopez-Tello
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arias-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Martinez
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology (Animal Physiology), Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Garcia-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Agrarian Production, E.T.S.I.A.A.B. Polytechnic University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology (Animal Physiology), Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro Luis
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lorenzo Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bermejo-Poza
authors.affiliation: Comparative Physiology Group, SGIT-INIA, Avda. Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0917-4475
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Bulnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Agrarian Production, E.T.S.I.A.A.B. Polytechnic University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garcia Rebollar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001755:Blastocyst; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D018568:Crown-Rump Length; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D020567:Fetal Weight; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000150:complications*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D020738:Leptin