Impact of abnormal nutrition during pregnancy on the offspring hormone resistance

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the impact of abnormal nutrition during pregnancy on the insulin and leptin resistance of adult offsprings. Methods: The model of abnormal nutrition during pregnancy was established, and these rats were fed whole-course low-protein or high-nutrition. After natural childbirth, the birth weight of each newborn rat was measured. According to the determining birth weights, the newborn rats were assigned into the small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) groups as well as the healthy control group, respectively. There was a total of 36 randomly selected rats in each group. The levels of insulin and leptin and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay 4 and 12 weeks post birth, respectively. Results: In the low-protein group, the birth weight was significantly lower than in the control group (p<0.01) and 68.97% of the newborn rats were SGA; in thehigh-energy group, the birth weight of the newborn rats was significantly larger than in the control group (p<0.01), and 37.98% of the newborn were LGA. The body weights (BW) of the SGA 4 weeks post birth had no significant difference from that of the controls, while the perirenal fat weight (FW) and the FW/BW ratio were significantly larger than those of the controls (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively); however, the FW/BW of the LGA had no significant difference from that of the controls. Twelve weeks after birth, the BW of both SGA and LGA rats increased significantly compared to the controls (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively), and the FW/BW ratios of both were significantly larger than that of the controls (p<0.01). For the SGA rats 4 weeks post birth, the insulin and leptin level increased significantly (both p<0.05), while the ISI decreased significantly (p<0.05), with the occurrence of insulin resistance. For both SGA and LGA 12 weeks post birth, the insulin and leptin level significantly increased (both p<0.01). Conclusion: Abnormal nutrition during pregnancy could lead to abnormal birth weight, and both low and high birth weight could cause abdominal obesity as well as insulin and leptin resistance in adulthood, although through different mechanisms.