Maternal high-fat diet is associated with altered pancreatic remodelling in mice offspring

Abstract

To investigate whether a maternal high-fat diet (HF) during pregnancy and/or suckling periods predisposes adult C57BL/6 mice offspring to morphological pancreatic modifications. Male pups were divided into 5 groups: SC (standard chow)-from dams fed SC during gestation and lactation, maintaining an SC diet from postweaning to adulthood; G-from dams fed HF diets during gestation; L-from dams fed HF diets during lactation; GL-from dams fed HF diets during gestation and lactation; and GL/HF-from dams fed HF diets during gestation and lactation, maintaining an HF diet from postweaning to adulthood. We analysed body mass (BM), plasma insulin, pancreas and adipose tissue structures. During the entire experiment, the SC group had the lowest BM. However, GL/HF offspring were heavier than the other groups. This weight gain was also accompanied by adipocyte hypertrophy. At 3 months, G offspring showed an increased insulin levels and impairment in carbohydrates metabolism. Furthermore, pancreatic islets were hypertrophied in G, GL and GL/HF offspring in comparison with SC offspring. HF diet administration during the gestation period is more harmful than during the lactation period, exerting deleterious effects on pancreatic morphology in addition to larger fat deposits in adult mice offspring.