Perinatal taurine imbalance induces insulin resistance via the renin‐angiotensin system in adult female rats

Abstract

Perinatal taurine depletion followed by high sugar intake (post‐weaning) alters renin‐angiotensin system and glucoregulation in adult animals. This study tests the hypothesis that in adult female rats, perinatal taurine imbalance induces insulin resistance via the renin‐angiotensin system. Female Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed normal rat chow with 3% β‐alanine (taurine deficient, TD), 3% taurine (taurine supplemented, TS) or water alone (C) from conception to weaning. Their female offspring were then fed normal rat chow with 5% glucose in water (TDG, TSG, CG) or water alone (TDW, TSW, CW) throughout the experiment. At 7–8 weeks of age, all groups displayed similar body, heart, and kidney weights. Fasting blood sugar was not different among groups. Compared to CW and CG, perinatal taurine depletion but not supplementation slightly increased plasma insulin levels. High sugar intake slightly increased plasma insulin only in TSG. Surprisingly, captopril treatment significantly increased plasma insulin in all groups except CG, and the greatest was in TDG (>170% up). Changes in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion paralleled the changes in plasma insulin levels. However, this insulin resistance did not lead to glucose intolerance or hyperglycemia. These data indicate that the renin‐angiotensin system attenuates glucose‐insulin dysregulation in adult female rats that are perinatally depleted of taurine.