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Maternal fish oil supplementation benefits programmed offspring from rat dams fed low-protein diet
Bianca Martins Gregório1, Vanessa Souza-Mello, Carlos A Mandarim-de-Lacerda
1Department of Anatomy, Biomedical Center, Institute of Biology, Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology Rio de Janeiro, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Insights
Maternal fish oil supplementation prevented cardiovascular issues in offspring exposed to a low-protein (LP) diet. Fish oil reduced hypertension and adverse heart remodeling, improving offspring cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Nutritional Science
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Perinatal low-protein (LP) diet can program offspring for cardiovascular alterations.
- Maternal nutrition plays a critical role in fetal development and long-term health outcomes.
- Fish oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if maternal fish oil supplementation can prevent cardiovascular programming in offspring fed a low-protein (LP) diet.
- To assess the impact of fish oil on hypertension and cardiac remodeling induced by perinatal LP diet.
Main Methods:
- Forty rats were divided into normal-protein (NP) and low-protein (LP) diet groups during the perinatal period.
- Maternal fish oil (Fo) supplementation was administered daily.
- Offspring were studied until 6 months of age, with cardiac structure and microcirculation examined.
Main Results:
- Low-protein (LP) diet induced mild hypertension and increased left ventricle thickness in offspring.
- Fish oil (Fo) supplementation significantly minimized hypertension and reduced left ventricle thickness.
- Male offspring on the LP diet showed reduced intramyocardial microcirculation, which was improved by fish oil supplementation.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal low-protein (LP) diet programs offspring for postnatal hypertension and adverse cardiovascular remodeling.
- Maternal fish oil supplementation effectively alleviated these negative outcomes.
- Fish oil represents a potential nutritional strategy to mitigate diet-induced cardiovascular risks in offspring.
Objective:
We hypothesized that maternal fish oil supplementation would prevent the programming of offspring cardiovascular alterations.
Study Design:
Forty rats were fed during the perinatal period with normal-protein (NP) diet (19%) or low-protein (LP) diet (5%) and also received daily fish oil supplement (Fo). Offspring were divided into male and female NP, NP plus Fo, and LP and LP plus Fo groups (n = 5, each) until 6 months old. Cardiac structure was examined.
Results:
Both LP sexes had mild hypertension, but Fo supplementation minimized hypertension. The left ventricle was thicker in the LP groups and less thick in the LP plus Fo groups. The male LP had significantly fewer intramyocardial microcirculation, whereas the male LP plus Fo had 90% more microcirculation than the LP group. The LP group had significantly higher interstitial fibrosis, compared with the NP groups.
Conclusion:
Postnatal hypertension and collateral cardiovascular adverse remodeling were programmed by perinatal LP diet, whose outcomes were alleviated by maternal fish oil supplementation.
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