A high-fat diet during rat pregnancy or suckling induces cardiovascular dysfunction in adult offspring

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2005 Jan;288(1):R127-33. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00354.2004. Epub 2004 Aug 12.

Abstract

Epidemiological and animal studies suggest that diet-induced epigenetic modifications in early life can contribute to development of the metabolic syndrome in adulthood. We previously reported features of the metabolic syndrome in adult offspring of rats fed a diet rich in animal fat during pregnancy and suckling. We now report a study to compare the relative effects of high-fat feeding during 1) pregnancy and 2) the suckling period in the development of these disorders. As observed previously, 6-mo-old female offspring of fat-fed dams suckled by the same fat-fed dams (OHF) demonstrated raised blood pressure, despite being fed a balanced diet from weaning. Female offspring of fat-fed dams "cross fostered" to dams consuming a control diet during suckling (OHF/C) demonstrated raised blood pressure compared with controls (OC) [systolic blood pressure (SBP; mmHg) means +/- SE: OHF/C, 132.5 +/- 3.0, n = 6 vs. OC, 119.0 +/- 3.8, n = 7, P < 0.05]. Female offspring of controls cross fostered to dams consuming the fat diet (OC/HF) were also hypertensive [SBP (mmHg) 131.0 +/- 2.5 mmHg, n = 6 vs. OC, P < 0.05]. Endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) of male and female OHF and OHF/C mesenteric small arteries was similar and blunted compared with OC (P < 0.001). OC/HF arteries showed profoundly impaired EDR (OC/HF vs. OHF, P < 0.001). OHF/C and OC/HF demonstrated hyperinsulinemia and increased adiposity. Features of the metabolic syndrome in adult offspring of fat-fed rats can be acquired both antenatally and during suckling. However, exposure during pregnancy confers adaptive protection against endothelial dysfunction induced by maternal fat feeding during suckling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Dietary Fats / pharmacology*
  • Feeding Behavior / physiology
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Hemodynamics / drug effects
  • Hemodynamics / physiology*
  • Lactation
  • Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / physiology*
  • Mesenteric Arteries / physiopathology
  • Metabolic Syndrome / embryology
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
  • Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Vasodilation / drug effects

Substances

  • Dietary Fats