Abstract
BackgroundSodium butyrate (SB) is reported to regulate lipid metabolism in mammals, and the relationship between maternal nutrition and offspring growth has drawn much attention in the last several years.MethodsTo elucidate the effects of maternal dietary SB supplementation on hepatic lipid metabolism in weaning rats, we fed 16 primiparous purebred female SD rats either a chow-diet or a 1 % sodium butyrate diet throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning age, samples of the maternal subcutaneous adipose tissue and offspring liver were taken. The serum indexes and expressions of proteins related to lipid metabolism were detected in the mother and offspring, respectively.ResultsThe results showed that the maternal SB supplement increased the concentration of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) in the maternal and offspring serum (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol (Tch) increased significantly in the weaning-rat serum (P < 0.05). Maternal adipose tissue from the SB-supplemented rats showed higher content of protein G-coupled protein (GPR43) and protein kinase A (PKA) (P < 0.05). The expression of protein adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), and of total and phosphorylated hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), in the maternal adipose tissue increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. However the proteins related to lipogenesis showed no significant changes. Moreover, the concentration of triglyceride in the offspring liver increased significantly, and this likely resulted from an increase in the levels of fatty acids binding protein (FABP) and fatty acid translocase (CD36) protein (P < 0.05). SB exposure during pregnancy and lactation increased the hepatic total cholesterol (Tch) content (P < 0.01), which was related to a significantly up-regulated offspring hepatic expression of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein (P < 0.05).ConclusionThese results indicate that a maternal SB supplement during pregnancy and the lactation period promotes maternal fat mobilization, which may result in fatty acid uptake and lipid accumulation in the liver of the offspring.
Highlights
Sodium butyrate (SB) is reported to regulate lipid metabolism in mammals, and the relationship between maternal nutrition and offspring growth has drawn much attention in the last several years
The present study demonstrated that the increasing concentration of serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) in maternal serum was consistent with the increasing lipolysis in the adipose tissue
We investigated the protein levels involved in lipogenesis, including long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase-1 (ACSL1), Acyl-CoA Synthetase-1 (ACSS1), stearyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (SCD) and the key nuclear transcription factors containing peroxisome proliferative activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1); none of these showed obvious changes
Summary
Sodium butyrate (SB) is reported to regulate lipid metabolism in mammals, and the relationship between maternal nutrition and offspring growth has drawn much attention in the last several years. Lines of evidence indicate that maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is closely related to the adequate development of offspring [1]. The offspring’s metabolism is dependent on substrates from maternal nutrients, and one of the most important nutritional substances is fatty acid (FA) [2]. The maternal FA level is positively related to the offspring’s fat percentage, and transporting FAs from mother to offspring is positively correlated with offspring development, during the late gestation period, when deposition of fat in the fetus increases sharply [5]. It has been shown that maternal triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acid levels have a close relationship with both weight and fat mass of infants [3]. FA deficiency and disruption in the maternal-placental offspring metabolism lead to malnutrition of the fetus, and metabolic diseases may appear in the later life of the offspring [6, 7]
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