Metabolic profiles of adult Wistar rats in relation to prenatal and postnatal nutritional manipulation: The role of birthweight

OBJECTIVE This experimental study aimed to prospectively investigate the impact of combinations of prenatal and postnatal food manipulations on the metabolic profile of adult offspring. DESIGN On day 12 of gestation, 67 timed pregnant rats were randomized into three nutritional groups, control: standard laboratory food; starved: 50% food restricted, FR; fat-fed: fat-rich diet, FF. Seven hundred and seventy-four (774) pups were born on day 21 and culled to 8 (4 males, 4 females) per litter to normalize rearing. Rats born to starved mothers were later subdivided, based on birthweight (BiW), into fetal growth restricted (FGR) and non-FGR. The pups were then weaned to the diet of their fostered mother until one year old. Thus, 12 groups were studied: 1. CONTROL/CONTROL 14 rats, 2. CONTROL/FR: 12 rats, 3. CONTROL/FF: 15 rats, 4. FGR/CONTROL: 16 rats, 5. FGR/FR: 10 rats, 6. FGR/FF: 15 rats, 7. non-FGR/CONTROL: 10 rats, 8. non-FGR/FR: 17 rats, 9. non-FGR/FF: 10 rats, 10. FF/CONTROL: 15 rats, 11. FF/FR: 14 rats, and 12. FF/FF: 13 rats. During sacrifice, body weight (BW) and liver weight (LW) were measured (expressed in grams) and concentrations of serum glucose, triglycerides, HDL and NEFA were determined. RESULTS Postnatal food restriction, compared to control diet significantly reduced BW (p = 0.004, p = 0.036, p< 0.001, p = 0.008) and LW (p< 0.001) in all study groups. Postnatal control diet significantly increased BW in non-FGR compared to FGR rats (p = 0.027). No significant differences were detected in biochemical parameters (excluding NEFA) between FGR and non-FGR, regardless of the postnatal diet. CONCLUSIONS Interaction between prenatal and postnatal nutrition produces distinct metabolic profiles. Apart from BiW, prenatal diet had an important impact on the metabolic profile of the adult offspring, implying that intrauterine events should be considered in the estimation of the metabolic risk of an individual, independently of BiW.