Impact of Commercial Vendor on The Developmental Programming of Later Chronic Health

Abstract

Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of metabolic disease including hypertension in later life. Reduced uterine perfusion (RUP) in timed pregnant SD rats purchased from Harlan induces intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) associated with the development of glucose intolerance, increased adiposity, and hypertension in female IUGR offspring by 12 months of age. Whether the commercial source of the SD rat impacts the programming of chronic health is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the commercial vendor altered adult outcome following a developmental insult. Timed pregnant SD rats were purchased from Harlan (H) or Charles River (CR) and subjected to RUP or sham surgery at day 14 of gestation. Control and IUGR offspring were studied at 1 year of age. RUP decreased birth weight in H and CR pups (P<0.05). However, by 12 months of age offspring from CR exhibited a significant increase in adiposity (P<0.05) regardless of fetal health that abolished the impact of IUGR. Thus, these studies indicate the same strain provided by different vendors greatly impacts the fetal programming of chronic health. NIH:HL074927, HL51971, P20GM104357, AHA GRNT19900004 Control (H) IUGR (H) Control (CR) IUGR (CR) Fat Mass (g) 27.4±2.6 38.7±4.3* 93.8±13.7*† 90.2±15.2*† MAP (mmHg) 119.4±3.0 136.8±2.4* 129.9±4.0* 130.9±3.2* AUG OGTT 479.5±42.7 714.2±27.8* 563.8±38.1† 511.4±24.2† * P < 0.05 vs. Control H; † P < 0.05 vs. IUGR H