Abstract
Sex-related differences in lipid availability and fatty acid composition during swine foetal development were investigated. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the mother were strongly related to the adequacy or inadequacy of foetal development and concomitant activation of protective growth in some organs (brain, heart, liver and spleen). Cholesterol and triglyceride availability was similar in male and female offspring, but female foetuses showed evidence of higher placental transfer of essential fatty acids and synthesis of non-essential fatty acids in muscle and liver. These sex-related differences affected primarily the neutral lipid fraction (triglycerides), which may lead to sex-related postnatal differences in energy partitioning. These results illustrate the strong influence of the maternal lipid profile on foetal development and homeorhesis, and they confirm and extend previous reports that female offspring show better adaptive responses to maternal malnutrition than male offspring. These findings may help guide dietary interventions to ensure adequate fatty acid availability for postnatal development.
Highlights
Prenatal development of humans and animals requires adequate placental supply of oxygen and nutrients [1,2], which, in turn, requires adequate maternal nutrition and placental function
Inadequate placental nutrient supply leads to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), resulting in newborns that are small for their gestational age
Foetuses were obtained from five sows on Gestational Day (GD) 70 (n = 33) or from four sows on GD 90 (n = 23)
Summary
Prenatal development of humans and animals requires adequate placental supply of oxygen and nutrients [1,2], which, in turn, requires adequate maternal nutrition and placental function. Inadequate placental nutrient supply leads to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), resulting in newborns that are small for their gestational age. Incidence has been increasing in developed countries because of maternal eating disorders, voluntary intake restriction for aesthetic reasons [10] and abnormal placental development leading to placental insufficiency [11]. This abnormal placental development has been associated with postponement of childbearing, inadequate lifestyle and maternal and gestational factors [8,12,13]
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