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Developmental programming of cardiovascular disorders: focus on hypertension

Sheba M J MohanKumar1, Andrew King, Andrew C Shin

  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI 48824, USA. mohankumrs@cvm.msu.edu

Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
|August 1, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy, particularly obesity, may program offspring for adult hypertension. Factors like inflammation and hormonal changes in obese mothers could influence fetal development, leading to cardiovascular risks later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular science

Background:

  • Adult cardiovascular disorders like hypertension may originate from in utero programming.
  • Mechanisms linking fetal development to adult cardiovascular disease require further elucidation.
  • Maternal factors such as nutrition and endocrine signaling are implicated in fetal programming.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of maternal nutrition, sex steroids, and endocrine factors in programming adult hypertension.
  • To explore mechanisms contributing to hypertension development in offspring.
  • To emphasize the impact of maternal overnutrition and obesity on fetal programming.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on maternal nutrition, endocrine factors, and fetal programming.
  • Discussion of potential mechanisms including sympathetic and renin-angiotensin system activity, nephron development.
  • Analysis of the effects of maternal obesity, inflammation, leptin resistance, and glucocorticoid levels.

Main Results:

  • Maternal undernutrition has been a focus, but maternal overnutrition is increasingly recognized.
  • Obesity is linked to increased proinflammatory cytokines and leptin resistance.
  • Dysregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and elevated glucocorticoids are associated with maternal obesity.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal obesity may significantly contribute to programming hypertension in offspring.
  • Inflammatory and endocrine changes in obese mothers could be key programming factors.
  • In utero exposure to factors associated with maternal obesity may lead to adult cardiovascular risks.

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