Abstract
ABSTRACTPurpose:To evaluate the morphological effects of a low-protein diet during maternal lactation on the offspring’s thoracic aorta.Methods:Two female Wistar rats were mated with male of the same species at 4 months of age. Until the birth of the pups, all animals received commercial rat chow. After giving birth, the puerperal females were divided into two groups and adjusted the litter to five puppies per group: a control group that received commercial feed, and an experimental group whose diet included the same amount of calories, but 8% lower protein content. All animals’ masses were measured throughout the lactation period, and the pups were euthanized after weaning at 21 days of age. The thoracic aorta was removed, histologically processed and stained with Weigert’s resorcin-fuchsin for histomorphometric analysis of tunica media thickness.Results:Although both groups were born with similar body mass, during the 21 days of lactation the restricted protein group gained only 39% of the body mass of the control group. Histomorphometric analysis revealed that the restricted protein group had a significantly lower mean tunica media thickness than the control group.Conclusions:A low-protein diet for nursing mothers influences mass gain and aortic tunica media thickness in their offspring.
Highlights
Malnutrition is a public health concern in economically disadvantaged regions
The puerperal females were divided into two groups and adjusted the litter to five puppies per group: a control group that received commercial feed, and an experimental group whose diet included the same amount of calories, but 8% lower protein content
The hypoprotein diet started to be provided to the reduced protein (RP) group rat on the day of the pups’ birth, and the litters of both groups were adjusted to five puppies[19]
Summary
Malnutrition is a public health concern in economically disadvantaged regions. According to the 2017 Food and Agriculture Organization’s report, about 821 million people suffer from various forms of malnutrition in the world, being the children the most affected. Low-birth weight is correlated with perinatal, neonatal and postnatal morbidity and mortality, as well as chronic diseases in adulthood if the condition is not reversed[1]. An underweight mother in the pre-gestational and/or gestational period is a determining factor for low-birth weight. The persistence of this condition in puerperal women contributes to developmental delay in neonates[2]. Since 1986, Barker and Osmond have studied the medical and biological consequences of perinatal nutrition, proposing that these consequences are closely linked to the origin and development of disease[3,4]
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