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Melo GM, Capucho AM, Sacramento JF, Ponce-de-Leão J, Fernandes MV, Almeida IF, Martins FO, Conde SV. Overnutrition during Pregnancy and Lactation Induces Gender-Dependent Dysmetabolism in the Offspring Accompanied by Heightened Stress and Anxiety. Nutrients 2023; 16:67. [PMID: 38201896 PMCID: PMC10781034 DOI: 10.3390/nu16010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes predispose the next generation to metabolic disturbances. Moreover, the lactation phase also stands as a critical phase for metabolic programming. Nevertheless, the precise mechanisms originating these changes remain unclear. Here, we investigate the consequences of a maternal lipid-rich diet during gestation and lactation and its impact on metabolism and behavior in the offspring. Two experimental groups of Wistar female rats were used: a control group (NC) that was fed a standard diet during the gestation and lactation periods and an overnutrition group that was fed a high-fat diet (HF, 60% lipid-rich) during the same phases. The offspring were analyzed at postnatal days 21 and 28 and at 2 months old (PD21, PD28, and PD60) for their metabolic profiles (weight, fasting glycemia insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance) and euthanized for brain collection to evaluate metabolism and inflammation in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex using Western blot markers of synaptic dynamics. At 2 months old, behavioral tests for anxiety, stress, cognition, and food habits were conducted. We observed that the female offspring born from HF mothers exhibited increased weight gain and decreased glucose tolerance that attenuated with age. In the offspring males, weight gain increased at P21 and worsened with age, while glucose tolerance remained unchanged. The offspring of the HF mothers exhibited elevated levels of anxiety and stress during behavioral tests, displaying decreased predisposition for curiosity compared to the NC group. In addition, the offspring from mothers with HF showed increased food consumption and a lower tendency towards food-related aggression. We conclude that exposure to an HF diet during pregnancy and lactation induces dysmetabolism in the offspring and is accompanied by heightened stress and anxiety. There was sexual dimorphism in the metabolic traits but not behavioral phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Silvia V. Conde
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua Camara Pestana, 6, Edificio 2, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal; (G.M.M.); (A.M.C.); (J.F.S.); (J.P.-d.-L.); (M.V.F.); (I.F.A.); (F.O.M.)
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Tejera-Muñoz A, Guerra-Menéndez L, Amor S, González-Hedström D, García-Villalón ÁL, Granado M. Postnatal Overfeeding during Lactation Induces Endothelial Dysfunction and Cardiac Insulin Resistance in Adult Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14443. [PMID: 37833890 PMCID: PMC10572650 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Early overnutrition is associated with cardiometabolic alterations in adulthood, likely attributed to reduced insulin sensitivity due to its crucial role in the cardiovascular system. This study aimed to assess the long-term effects of early overnutrition on the development of cardiovascular insulin resistance. An experimental childhood obesity model was established using male Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were organized into litters of 12 pups/mother (L12-Controls) or 3 pups/mother (L3-Overfed) at birth. After weaning, animals from L12 and L3 were housed three per cage and provided ad libitum access to food for 6 months. L3 rats exhibited elevated body weight, along with increased visceral, subcutaneous, and perivascular fat accumulation. However, heart weight at sacrifice was reduced in L3 rats. Furthermore, L3 rats displayed elevated serum levels of glucose, leptin, adiponectin, total lipids, and triglycerides compared to control rats. In the myocardium, overfed rats showed decreased IL-10 mRNA levels and alterations in contractility and heart rate in response to insulin. Similarly, aortic tissue exhibited modified gene expression of TNFα, iNOS, and IL-6. Additionally, L3 aortas exhibited endothelial dysfunction in response to acetylcholine, although insulin-induced relaxation remained unchanged compared to controls. At the molecular level, L3 rats displayed reduced Akt phosphorylation in response to insulin, both in myocardial and aortic tissues, whereas MAPK phosphorylation was elevated solely in the myocardium. Overfeeding during lactation in rats induces endothelial dysfunction and cardiac insulin resistance in adulthood, potentially contributing to the cardiovascular alterations observed in this experimental model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Tejera-Muñoz
- Research Support Unit, Hospital General La Mancha Centro, 13600 Alcázar de San Juan, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación de Castilla-La Mancha (IDISCAM), 45071 Toledo, Spain
| | - Lucía Guerra-Menéndez
- Departamento de Ciencias Médicas Básicas, Instituto de Medicina Molecular Aplicada (IMMA) Nemesio Díez, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Urbanización Montepríncipe, 28660 Boadilla del Monte, Spain;
| | - Sara Amor
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (D.G.-H.); (Á.L.G.-V.)
| | - Daniel González-Hedström
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (D.G.-H.); (Á.L.G.-V.)
| | - Ángel Luis García-Villalón
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (D.G.-H.); (Á.L.G.-V.)
| | - Miriam Granado
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (S.A.); (D.G.-H.); (Á.L.G.-V.)
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Amaro A, Sousa D, Sá-Rocha M, Ferreira-Junior MD, Rosendo-Silva D, Saavedra LPJ, Barra C, Monteiro-Alfredo T, Gomes RM, de Freitas Mathias PC, Baptista FI, Matafome P. Postnatal Overfeeding in Rodents Induces a Neurodevelopment Delay and Anxious-like Behaviour Accompanied by Sex- and Brain-Region-Specific Synaptic and Metabolic Changes. Nutrients 2023; 15:3581. [PMID: 37630771 PMCID: PMC10459868 DOI: 10.3390/nu15163581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Nutritional disturbances during the early postnatal period can have long-lasting effects on neurodevelopment and may be related to behavioural changes at adulthood. While such neuronal connection disruption can contribute to social and behaviour alterations, the dysregulation of the neuroendocrine pathways involved in nutrient-sensing balance may also cause such impairments, although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. We aimed to evaluate sex-specific neurodevelopmental and behavioural changes upon postnatal overfeeding and determine the potential underpinning mechanisms at the central nervous system level, with a focus on the interconnection between synaptic and neuroendocrine molecular alterations. At postnatal day 3 (PND3) litters were culled to three animals (small litter procedure). Neurodevelopmental tests were conducted at infancy, whereas behavioural tests to assess locomotion, anxiety, and memory were performed at adolescence, together with molecular analysis of the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and prefrontal cortex. At infancy, females presented impaired acquisition of an auditory response, eye opening, olfactory discrimination, and vestibular system development, suggesting that female offspring neurodevelopment/maturation was deeply affected. Male offspring presented a transitory delay in locomotor performance., while both offspring had lower upper limb strength. At adolescence, both sexes presented anxious-like behaviour without alterations in short-term memory retention. Both males and females presented lower NPY1R levels in a region-specific manner. Furthermore, both sexes presented synaptic changes in the hippocampus (lower GABAA in females and higher GABAA levels in males), while, in the prefrontal cortex, similar higher GABAA receptor levels were observed. At the hypothalamus, females presented synaptic changes, namely higher vGLUT1 and PSD95 levels. Thus, we demonstrate that postnatal overfeeding modulates offspring behaviour and dysregulates nutrient-sensing mechanisms such as NPY and GABA in a sex- and brain-region-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Amaro
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana Sousa
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mariana Sá-Rocha
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcos Divino Ferreira-Junior
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University Federal of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil;
| | - Daniela Rosendo-Silva
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lucas Paulo Jacinto Saavedra
- Laboratory of Secretion Cell Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringa, Maringa 87020-900, Brazil; (L.P.J.S.); (P.C.d.F.M.)
| | - Cátia Barra
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
- Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital Center of Coimbra, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Tamaeh Monteiro-Alfredo
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo Mello Gomes
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University Federal of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil;
| | - Paulo Cezar de Freitas Mathias
- Laboratory of Secretion Cell Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringa, Maringa 87020-900, Brazil; (L.P.J.S.); (P.C.d.F.M.)
| | - Filipa I. Baptista
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paulo Matafome
- Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR) and Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (A.A.); (D.S.); (M.S.-R.); (M.D.F.-J.); (D.R.-S.); (C.B.); (F.I.B.)
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center of Coimbra (CACC), 3000-061 Coimbra, Portugal
- Coimbra Health School (EsTeSC), Polytechnic University of Coimbra, 3046-854 Coimbra, Portugal
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