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Maternal Protein Deprivation: Changes in Systemic Renin-Angiotensin System of the Mouse Fetus

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Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that maternal protein deprivation during gestation results in changes in expression of the systemic renin-angiotensin system in fetal mice. Fetal weight was decreased significantly as a consequence of 50% maternal protein deprivation during second half of gestation. In fetal liver, angiotensinogen protein expression was reduced significantly despite a significant increase in messenger RNA (mRNA). In fetal kidneys, both mRNA and protein levels of renin were increased significantly. In the lungs, we observed a decrease in both angiotensin-converting enzyme I and II mRNA expression, whereas protein expression of both isoforms was increased significantly. The fetal heart showed significant increases in expression of angiotensin II type 1 (AT-1) and type 2 (AT-2) receptors mRNA. Protein expression of AT-1 receptors increased, while that of AT-2 receptors decreased. We conclude that maternal low-protein diet during gestation leads to significant changes in expression of the systemic reninangiotensin system in fetal mice and may be important in the genesis of hypertension in the adult.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University, School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, 92350, USA

    Ravi Goyal MD, PhD, Andrew Galffy BA, Stephanie A. Field BA, Ciprian P. Gheorghe MD, PhD, Ashwani Mittal PhD & Lawrence D. Longo MD

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  1. Ravi Goyal MD, PhD
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  2. Andrew Galffy BA
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  3. Stephanie A. Field BA
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  4. Ciprian P. Gheorghe MD, PhD
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  5. Ashwani Mittal PhD
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  6. Lawrence D. Longo MD
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Correspondence to Lawrence D. Longo MD.

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Goyal, R., Galffy, A., Field, S.A. et al. Maternal Protein Deprivation: Changes in Systemic Renin-Angiotensin System of the Mouse Fetus. Reprod. Sci. 16, 894–904 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719109337260

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