Maternal perinatal diet induces developmental programming of bone architecture.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Nutritional Science
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Maternal diet during gestation and lactation is a critical factor in offspring development.
• High-fat (HF) diets in mothers are known to influence offspring metabolism through developmental programming.
• The impact of maternal HF diet on offspring skeletal acquisition and bone strength remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the hypothesis that maternal HF diet induces perinatal programming of offspring bone mass and strength.
• To compare skeletal development and bone parameters in offspring exposed to maternal HF diet versus a normal diet.
• To assess the long-term effects of maternal dietary interventions on offspring bone homeostasis.

Main Methods:

• C57Bl/6J mice were fed either a HF or normal diet from preconception through lactation.
• Offspring (male and female) were analyzed at 14 and 26 weeks of age.
• Measurements included body composition, whole-body bone mineral content (WBBMC), femoral microarchitecture (cortical and trabecular), and glucose tolerance.

Main Results:

• Female offspring from HF-fed mothers showed reduced WBBMC but increased trabecular bone volume fraction.
• Male offspring from HF-fed mothers exhibited increased trabecular bone volume fraction and cortical bone area.
• Both sexes displayed altered body composition and metabolic markers, with sex-specific differences in glucose tolerance and serum hormones.

Conclusions:

• Maternal HF diet exerts complex, sex-specific effects on offspring skeletal acquisition and bone architecture.
• Perinatal programming by maternal diet influences postnatal skeletal homeostasis.
• These findings highlight the critical role of maternal nutrition in offspring bone health and metabolic programming.