Maternal cinnamon extract intake during lactation leads to sex-specific endocrine modifications in rat offspring.
BACKGROUND
Cinnamon supplementation has been associated with an improvement in glucose disposal and a reduction in fat mass in type 2 diabetes. Maternal nutrition during lactation impacts the health of the offspring throughout life. We hypothesize that cinnamon intake by lactating rats affects maternal physiology, leading to hormonal and metabolic changes in their offspring. To investigate this hypothesis, dams received aqueous cinnamon extract (400 mg cinnamon kg-1body mass day-1) or water orally, during lactation.


RESULTS
Maternal cinnamon intake did not affect the body mass gain or food intake of dams or their offspring, although it decreased visceral white adipose tissue mass in dams and in their adult offspring of both sexes. Cinnamon-treated dams exhibited no differences in serum insulin, adiponectin, leptin or estradiol levels, although they presented higher serum progesterone. At weaning, cinnamon male pups exhibited lower insulinemia, whereas cinnamon female pups exhibited lower glycemia. Interestingly, in adulthood, only the female offspring exhibited an altered hormonal profile, with reduced serum leptin, adiponectin and insulin levels accompanied by lower glycemia.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrates that maternal cinnamon intake during lactation promotes mild changes in dams and can trigger sex-specific metabolic programming in pups that lasts into adulthood. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.|Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Thais
T
Bento-Bernardes
Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Fernanda P
FP
Toste
Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Carmen C
CC
Pazos-Moura
Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Karen J
KJ
Oliveira
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002935:Cinnamomum zeylanicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors
D052242:Adiponectin; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol
Cinnamomum zeylanicum; adiposity; insulin; lactation; metabolic programming; sexual dimorphism