Adiponectin Enhances Fetal Fat Deposition

Abstract

Maternal obesity increases offspring birthweight and susceptibility to obesity. Adiponectin is an adipocyte‐secreted hormone with a prominent function in maintaining energy homeostasis. In contrast to adults, neonatal blood adiponectin levels are positively correlated with anthropometric parameters of adiposity. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of adiponectin in maternal obesity‐enhanced fetal fat deposition. By using a high‐fat diet‐induced obese wild type mouse model, our study showed that maternal obesity increased fetal fat tissue mass with a significant elevation of fetal blood adiponectin. However, in adiponectin gene knockout mice, maternal high‐fat feeding failed to increase fetal fat tissue mass. Using chow‐fed lean dams and a cross breeding approach which genetically manipulated maternal and fetal adiponectin levels, our study further revealed that fetal adiponectin increased 1) fetal serum FFA and body fat mass, 2) liver triglyceride content and de novo lipogenic genes expression and 3) placental lipoprotein lipase levels. Together, our results indicate that adiponectin enhances fetal fat deposition and elevated fetal adiponectin mediates maternal obesity‐induced high birthweight. Our study also attributes adiponectin‐enhanced fetal fat deposition to increased placental fatty acid transport and fetal liver de novo lipogenesis.