Supplementation of commercial pig feed with palm oil during pregnancy downregulates genes related to development and permeability in the offspring small intestine

Abstract

The passage of microbes from the gut flora into the systemic circulation via increased intestinal permeability has been linked to inflammation of adipose tissue and the onset of obesity. A porcine model of a maternal high‐fat diet (mHF) consumed during pregnancy, compared to a control diet (mC) was used to test the hypothesis that a high‐fat diet during pregnancy will adversely affect offspring gut development.Expression of claudin‐4 (CLDN‐4), occludin (OCLN) and zonulin‐1 (ZO‐1) were used as markers of epithelial tight junction permeability. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) was used as a marker of intestinal development. mRNA expression was measured using qPCR. Tissue was taken at 7d, and offspring were grouped by maternal diet and birth weight: mC median (n=6), mC small (n=7), mHF median (n=8), mHF small (n=7).Offspring birth weights were not affected by maternal diet, but mHF offspring had a significantly increased fractional growth rate from 0–7d (p<0.05). EGFr, CLDN‐4 and OCLN mRNA expression was 50% lower in mHF piglets (p<0.05). ZO‐1 expression was unaffected by maternal diet.These findings show that a high‐fat diet during pregnancy may increase intestinal permeability in the offspring, and adversely affect intestinal development. These changes may predispose to the inflammation of adipose tissue and the onset of obesity.Funding sources: NSERC, University of Nottingham.