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Akhaphong B, Baumann DC, Beetch M, Lockridge AD, Jo S, Wong A, Zemanovic T, Mohan R, Fondevilla DL, Sia M, Pineda-Cortel MRB, Alejandro EU. Placental mTOR complex 1 regulates fetal programming of obesity and insulin resistance in mice. JCI Insight 2021; 6:149271. [PMID: 34032632 PMCID: PMC8410096 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.149271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction, or low birth weight, is a strong determinant for eventual obesity and type 2 diabetes. Clinical studies suggest placental mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling regulates fetal birth weight and the metabolic health trajectory of the offspring. In the current study, we used a genetic model with loss of placental mTOR function (mTOR-KOPlacenta) to test the direct role of mTOR signaling on birth weight and metabolic health in the adult offspring. mTOR-KOPlacenta animals displayed reduced placental area and total weight, as well as fetal body weight at embryonic day (E) 17.5. Birth weight and serum insulin levels were reduced; however, β cell mass was normal in mTOR-KOPlacenta newborns. Adult mTOR-KOPlacenta offspring, under a metabolic high-fat challenge, displayed exacerbated obesity and metabolic dysfunction compared with littermate controls. Subsequently, we tested whether enhancing placental mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, via genetic ablation of TSC2, in utero would improve glucose homeostasis in the offspring. Indeed, increased placental mTORC1 conferred protection from diet-induced obesity in the offspring. In conclusion, placental mTORC1 serves as a mechanistic link between placental function and programming of obesity and insulin resistance in the adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Akhaphong
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Daniel C Baumann
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Megan Beetch
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Amber D Lockridge
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Seokwon Jo
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alicia Wong
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tate Zemanovic
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ramkumar Mohan
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Danica L Fondevilla
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michelle Sia
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Maria Ruth B Pineda-Cortel
- Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and.,Department of Medical Technology, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Emilyn U Alejandro
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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