Abstract
Being born small-for-gestational-age, especially with subsequent catch-up growth, is associated with impaired metabolic health in later-life. We previously showed that a postnatal diet with an adapted lipid droplet structure can ameliorate some of the adverse metabolic consequences in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) rats. The aim of the present work was to explore possible underlying mechanism(s) and potential biomarkers. To this end, serum metabolomics was performed in postnatal day (PN) 42 and PN96 samples of the above-mentioned rat offspring, born after uterine vasculature ligation. Blood samples were collected at PN42, directly after a postnatal dietary intervention with either complex lipid matrix (CLM) or control (CTRL) diet, and at PN96 after a subsequent western-style diet (WSD). Offspring of Non-operated (NOP) dams fed CTRL in early life were included as control group. In the PN42 metabolomics data, 11 co-abundance modules of metabolites were identified, of which four were significantly correlated to adult blood glucose levels at PN96. Further analyses showed that Lysophosphatidylcholine(18:2) (LysoPC(18:2)) levels were reduced by ligation (p < 0.01) and restored in CLM fed animals (p < 0.05). LysoPC(18:2) levels at PN42 correlated inversely with adult blood glucose levels. These data indicate that early-life LysoPC(18:2) blood levels may predict adult blood glucose levels and are affected by a postnatal diet with an adapted lipid droplet structure in IUGR offspring.
Highlights
The early-life environment is essentially linked to adult metabolic health and obesity risk, and potential underlying mechanisms are manifold [1]
Since the primary aim was to explore potential mechanisms for and identify biomarkers connected to the nutritionally programmed improvements in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) on adult visceral adiposity, blood glucose and triglyceride levels [7], we focused on the PN42 metabolomics data, their correlation with adult visceral adiposity, blood glucose and triglyceride levels and compared results between the LIG-CTRL and LIG-complex lipid matrix (CLM) (CLM effect), and between NOP-CTRL and LIG-CTRL (LIG effect) groups
Data analyses Out of 192 serum metabolites detected at PN42, 170 met the indicated quality criteria and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) resulted in 11 metabolite modules (Additional file 1: Table S2, and Additional file 4)
Summary
The early-life environment is essentially linked to adult metabolic health and obesity risk, and potential underlying mechanisms are manifold [1]. Kodde et al Nutrition & Metabolism (2021) 18:101 metabolic consequences of IUGR, such as relative visceral adiposity, high blood glucose and triglyceride levels [7]. The aim of the present work was to further explore potential mechanisms and identify biomarkers underlying the beneficial effects of postnatal exposure to CLM on adult visceral adiposity, blood glucose and triglyceride levels in IUGR rats [7]. We hypothesized that differences in adult adiposity, blood glucose and triglyceride levels might arise from or could be predicted by differences in metabolites directly after exposure to the CLM. Serum metabolites were analyzed, and comprehensive data analysis was performed on collected data
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