Maternal High-Protein Diet during Pregnancy Modifies Rat Offspring Body Weight and Insulin Signalling but Not...

Area of Science:

• Nutritional science
• Developmental biology
• Metabolic health

Background:

• Maternal nutrition significantly influences offspring development and long-term health.
• The impact of a high-protein (HP) maternal diet during gestation on offspring's metabolic phenotype requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a maternal HP diet during gestation on adult female rat offspring's food preferences and adiposity.
• To determine how postweaning dietary self-selection (DSS) interacts with maternal diet to influence offspring phenotype.

Main Methods:

• Female rats were fed either a normal-protein (NP) or HP diet during gestation.
• Weaned female offspring were exposed to different dietary self-selection (DSS) conditions, including choices between macronutrients.
• Offspring adiposity and gene expression (liver insulin receptor, insulin substrate receptor 1) were assessed.

Main Results:

• Offspring in the DSS2 group (choice of protein, carbohydrate, or lipid) consumed more protein and lipids, and less carbohydrate, irrespective of maternal diet.
• Offspring exposed to a maternal HP diet and the DSS2 condition exhibited significantly increased adiposity (41.2%) compared to controls.
• Maternal HP diet reduced liver insulin receptor and insulin substrate receptor 1 expression in offspring.

Conclusions:

• Postweaning dietary choices significantly alter macronutrient intake and adiposity in offspring.
• Exposure to a maternal HP diet during gestation predisposes female offspring to increased adiposity, particularly under specific postweaning dietary conditions.