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The effects of maternal protein deprivation on renal development and function in neonatal rats
Insights
Maternal protein deprivation (PD) during nursing, not gestation, significantly impacts offspring kidney function and weight. This impaired renal transport of organic acids and bases, delaying maturation in developing kidneys.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Developmental Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Maternal nutrition during gestation and lactation is crucial for fetal and neonatal development.
- Protein deprivation (PD) can impact organ development and function.
- Understanding the specific effects of PD on renal development is essential for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of pre- and/or postnatal maternal protein deprivation (PD) on the development of renal function in offspring.
- To differentiate the impact of PD during gestation versus lactation on kidney development and function.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant rats were fed control (24% protein) or low-protein (8-10%) diets during gestation and lactation.
- Offspring were cross-fostered at birth to create four experimental groups: control-control, control-PD, PD-control, PD-PD.
- Renal transport functions, organic acid and base transport, and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid accumulation were quantified in vitro.
Main Results:
- Prenatal PD had negligible effects on body and kidney growth, while PD during nursing significantly impacted these parameters.
- Renal transport capacity for organic acids and bases was depressed in pups nursed by PD dams.
- Maturation of the renal organic acid transport system was delayed in pups exposed to PD during nursing.
- Alpha-aminoisobutyric acid accumulation was enhanced in 10-day-old rats with both pre- and postnatal PD.
Conclusions:
- Postnatal maternal protein deprivation during lactation has a more significant impact on renal functional development than prenatal exposure.
- PD during nursing impairs renal transport of organic acids and bases and delays system maturation.
- Renal gluconeogenic and ammoniagenic capacities were not affected by the dietary manipulations.
Abstract:
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of pre- and/or postnatal maternal protein deprivation (PD) on renal functional development in the offspring. Pregnant rats were fed either a control (24% protein) or low (8 or 10%) protein diet during gestation and lactation. Progeny of these dams were cross-fostered at birth, yielding four experimental groups: pups born of control dams and nursed by PD or control dams and pups born of PD dams and nursed by control or PD dams. While the effects of prenatal PD on body and kidney growth were negligible, PD during the nursing period appeared to have a more profound effect on body and kidney weight. Renal transport functions, quantified in vitro, were differentially affected by these dietary manipulations. Renal transport capacity for organic acids and bases was depressed in pups nursed by PD dams. Maturation of the renal organic acid transport system was also delayed in these pups. alpha-Aminoisobutyric acid accumulation by renal cortical slices was enhanced only in 10-day old rats stressed by pre- and postnatal maternal PD. Renal gluconeogenic and ammoniagenic capacity was not impaired by these dietary manipulations. No differences in protein or water content of renal cortical slices were observed.