Insulin secretion and GLUT-2 expression in undernourished neonate rats

In previous studies, we verified increased insulin sensitivity in adult male offspring of lactating rats readjusting to lack of insulin secretion reduction brought about by protein restriction during lactation. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of maternal protein undernutrition during lactation on glucose-induced insulin secretion and GLUT-2 expression in beta-cells of neonate male and female rats. Lactating Wistar rats were given a protein-free diet during the first 10 days and a normal diet (22% of protein) until weaning. The neonates were separated at birth by sex and diet and studied at 4, 8 and 21 days of lactation. Glucose-induced insulin secretion by pancreatic islets was analyzed by radioimmunoassay and GLUT-2 expression in beta-cells by Western blot. Glucose-induced insulin secretion of the undernourished groups was higher than in the control groups except among females. When comparing the male and female groups and the control and undernourished groups, female neonates showed significantly greater insulin secretion than the male group. Also it was noted that undernutrition induced greater GLUT-2 expression. For instance, comparing the undernourished male and female neonates there was an increase in female GLUT-2 expression on day 4. On the other hand, in undernourished male neonates a GLUT-2 expression increased later in lactation. In conclusion, during a short term, maternal undernutrition induces an increase of the glucose-induced insulin secretion only in male neonates and is associated with an increase in GLUT-2 expression in the beta-cell.