Oxidative stress and altered lipid homeostasis in the programming of offspring fatty liver by maternal obesity

Diet, behavior and immunity across the lifespan

It is increasingly appreciated that perinatal events can set an organism on a life-long trajectory for either health or disease, resilience or risk. One early life variable that has proven critical for optimal development is the nutritional environment in which the organism develops. Extensive research has documented the effects of both undernutrition and overnutrition, with strong links evident for an increased risk for obesity and metabolic disorders, as well as adverse mental health outcomes. Recent work has highlighted a critical role of the immune system, in linking diet with long term health and behavioral outcomes. The present review will summarize the recent literature regarding the interactions of diet, immunity, and behavior.

Early hepatic insult in the offspring of obese maternal mice

We hypothesized that the maternal obesity initiates metabolic disorders associated with oxidative stress in the liver of offspring since early life. Mouse's mothers were assigned into 2 groups according to the diet offered (n = 10 per group): standard chow (SC) or high-fat diet (HF). The results revealed that HF offspring had an increase in body mass at day 10 (+25%, P < .05) and in glucose levels (+25%, P < .0001). Hepatic triacylglycerol was increased in HF offspring at day 1 and day 10 compared with SC offspring (+30%, P < .01 and +40%, P < .01) as was hepatic steatosis (+110%, P < .001; +145%, P < .0001). Fatty acid synthase was increased in HF offspring at day 1 (+450%, P < .01) and peroxisome proliferator activator receptor-γ was elevated at day 1 and day 10 (+140%, P < .01; +2741%, P < .01). Peroxisome proliferator activator receptor-α was diminished in HF offspring at day 10 compared with SC offspring (-100%, P < .01). Moreover, carnitine palmitoyl-CoA transferase-1 was decreased in HF offspring at day 1 and day 10 (-80%, P < .01; -60%, P < .05). In the HF offspring (compared with the SC offspring), the catalase and the superoxide dismutase were significantly lower in both days 1 and 10 (P < .05). In 10-day-old offspring, glutathione peroxidase 1 and glutathione reductase were lower in HF offspring than in SC offspring (P < .0001). Our findings suggest that the maternal obesity in mice induces an early oxidative dysfunction coupled with hepatic steatosis and might contribute to progressive liver injury later in life.