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Updated: Jan 2, 2026
Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Moderate maternal vitamin A deficiency alters myogenic regulatory protein expression and perinatal organ growth in
D Downie1, C Antipatis, M I Delday
1The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland, UK.
Insights
Moderate vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy impacts fetal skeletal muscle development. This can lead to reduced expression of key muscle proteins, potentially affecting offspring muscle function.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
- Skeletal Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Vitamin A deficiency is a global health issue linked to infant mortality.
- Previous studies in rats showed moderate deficiency causes neonatal respiratory and mobility problems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if moderate vitamin A deficiency influences skeletal muscle regulatory pathways during development.
- To analyze the impact on myogenic regulatory factors and calcineurin signaling in developing rat fetuses and neonates.
Main Methods:
- Thirty female rats were fed either a vitamin A-moderate (VAM) or sufficient diet throughout pregnancy.
- Fetal and neonatal hindlimb muscle samples were collected at multiple developmental stages.
- Expression of myogenic regulatory factors and calcineurin signaling was analyzed.
Main Results:
- VAM-fed mothers had lower retinol concentrations, and their neonates showed reduced lung weights and lower survival rates.
- Neonates in the VAM group exhibited increased relative heart weights.
- Moderate vitamin A deficiency led to decreased levels of key muscle proteins, including myf5, myogenin, and myosin heavy chain fast.
Conclusions:
- Maternal vitamin A status during pregnancy significantly affects fetal muscle development.
- Changes in myogenic regulatory factors suggest impaired skeletal muscle formation in offspring exposed to moderate vitamin A deficiency.
- These findings highlight the importance of adequate vitamin A for healthy fetal muscle development and potential long-term function.
Abstract:
Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common dietary deficiencies in the developing world and is a major health concern where it is associated with increased risk of fetal and infant mortality and morbidity. Early studies in the rat demonstrated that, in addition to respiratory problems, neonates showed evidence of mobility problems in response to moderate vitamin A deficiency. This study investigated whether moderate deficiency of this vitamin plays a role in regulating key skeletal muscle regulatory pathways during development. Thirty female rats were fed vitamin A-moderate (VAM) or vitamin A-sufficient diets from weaning and throughout pregnancy. Fetal and neonatal hindlimb and muscle samples were collected on days 13.5, 15.5, 17.5, and 19.5 of pregnancy and 1 day following birth. Mothers fed the VAM diet had reduced retinol concentrations at all time points studied (P < 0.01), and neonates had reduced relative lung weights (P < 0.01). Fetal weight and survival did not differ between groups but neonatal survival was lower in the VAM group where neonates had increased relative heart weights (P < 0.05). Analysis of myogenic regulatory factor expression and calcineurin signaling in fetuses and neonates demonstrated decreased protein levels of myf5 [50% at 17.5 dg (P < 0.05)], myogenin [70% at birth (P < 0.001)], and myosin heavy chain fast [50% at birth (P < 0.05)] in response to moderate vitamin A deficiency. Overall, these changes suggest that vitamin A status during pregnancy may have important implications for fetal muscle development and subsequent muscle function in the offspring.
