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Programming Effect of the Parental Obesity on the Skeletal System of Offspring at Weaning Day
Radoslaw Piotr Radzki1, Marek Bienko1, Dariusz Wolski1
1Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
Insights
Parental obesity programs offspring bone development, leading to enhanced mineralization and strength by weaning. This study reveals how maternal diet impacts skeletal health in young rats.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Endocrinology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Parental obesity is a growing concern with potential intergenerational health implications.
- Early life exposures can significantly influence long-term health outcomes, including skeletal development.
- Understanding the programming effects of parental diet is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the programming effect of parental obesity on skeletal growth, development, and mineralization in rat offspring.
- To assess the impact of maternal high-energy diet on bone parameters at weaning.
- To determine if parental obesity influences bone mineral density, structure, and strength in offspring.
Main Methods:
- Induction of obesity in parental rats using a high-energy diet.
- Mating of obese and control rats to produce offspring.
- Assessment of offspring tibia using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), and micro-computed tomography (µCT).
- Evaluation of bone mechanical strength via three-point bending tests and analysis of serum bone metabolism markers.
Main Results:
- Offspring from obese parents exhibited higher tibia bone mineral content (BMC) and area via DXA.
- pQCT revealed increased volumetric bone mineral density and BMC in both cortical and trabecular bone compartments.
- µCT showed enhanced trabecular thickness and reduced trabecular separation in offspring from the obese group.
- Increased bone strength was observed in offspring of obese parents.
Conclusions:
- Parental obesity exerts a significant programming influence on the skeletal system of offspring by the time of weaning.
- This programming effect is characterized by intensified bone mineralization and improved bone strength.
- These findings highlight the critical role of parental metabolic health in offspring skeletal development.
Abstract:
Our study aimed to verify the hypothesis of the existence of a programming effect of parental obesity on the growth, development and mineralization of the skeletal system in female and male rat offspring on the day of weaning. The study began with the induction of obesity in female and male rats of the parental generation, using a high-energy diet (group F). Females and males of the control group received the standard diet (group S). After 90 days of dietary-induced obesity, the diet in group F was changed into the standard. Rats from groups F and S were mated to obtain offspring which stayed with their mothers until 21 days of age. Tibia was tested using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), micro-computed tomography (µCT) and mechanical strength using the three-point bending test. Biochemical analysis of blood serum bone metabolism markers was performed. DXA analysis showed higher tibia bone mineral content (BMC) and area. pQCT measurements of cortical and trabecular tissue documented the increase of the volumetric bone mineral density and BMC of both bone compartments in offspring from the F group, while µCT of the trabecular tissue showed an increase in trabecular thickness and a decrease of its separation. Parental obesity, hence, exerts a programming influence on the development of the skeletal system of the offspring on the day of the weaning, which was reflected in the intensification of mineralization and increased bone strength.
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