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Maternal malnutrition associated with postnatal sugar consumption increases inflammatory response and prostate
Matheus Naia Fioretto1, Ketlin Thassiani Colombelli1, Cecilia Luvizutti Ferreira da Silva1
1Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Insights
Maternal low protein diet and early sugar intake increase prostate disease risk in aging offspring. These factors activate the TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway, indicating potential markers for prostatic disorders.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Nutritional science
- Urology
Background:
- Maternal malnutrition impacts offspring's long-term health.
- Peripubertal sugar consumption is a growing global health concern.
- Maternal low protein diet (LPD) is linked to increased prostate disease in aging offspring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effects of maternal LPD and early postnatal sugar consumption on offspring prostate disorders.
- To evaluate the consequences on ventral prostate (VP) morphophysiology in aging rats.
Main Methods:
- A maternal gestational model with lactational LPD (6% protein) was used.
- Offspring received sugar consumption (10%) from postnatal day (PND) 21-90.
- Ventral prostate morphophysiology was assessed on PND540.
Main Results:
- Increased mast cells were observed in the ventral prostate of control + sugar and Gestational and Lactational Low Protein (GLLP) groups.
- In the GLLP + sugar group, significant increases in TGF-β1 expression and SMAD2/3 phosphorylation were noted.
- Maternal LPD and sugar consumption were identified as risk factors for prostatic homeostasis in senility.
Conclusions:
- Maternal LPD combined with early sugar consumption poses a risk for prostate disorders in aging offspring.
- The TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway is activated, suggesting its role and potential as a marker for prostatic disorders.
- This study highlights critical developmental programming vulnerabilities related to maternal nutrition and early-life diet.
Abstract:
Maternal malnutrition can alter developmental biology, programming health and disease in offspring. The increase in sugar consumption during the peripubertal period, a worldwide concern, also affects health through adulthood. Studies have shown that maternal exposure to a low protein diet (LPD) is associated with an increase in prostate disease with aging. However, the combined effects of maternal LPD and early postnatal sugar consumption on offspring prostate disorders were not investigated. The effects on aging were evaluated using a maternal gestational model with lactational LPD (6% protein) and sugar consumption (10%) from postnatal day (PND) 21-90, associating the consequences on ventral prostate (VP) rats morphophysiology on PND540. An increase was shown in mast cells and in the VP of the CTR + SUG and Gestational and Lactational Low Protein (GLLP) groups. In GLLP + SUG, a significant increase was shown in TGF-β1 expression in both the systemic and intra-prostatic forms, and SMAD2/3p had increased. The study identified maternal LPD and sugar consumption as risk factors for prostatic homeostasis in senility, activating the TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway, a signaling pathway with potential markers for prostatic disorders.
