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. 2006 May;30(5):729-38.
doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803205.

Exposure to undernutrition in fetal life determines fat distribution, locomotor activity and food intake in ageing rats

L Bellinger  1 , D V Sculley, S C Langley-Evans
Affiliations

Exposure to undernutrition in fetal life determines fat distribution, locomotor activity and food intake in ageing rats

L Bellinger et al. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 May.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the long-term impact of undernutrition during specific periods of fetal life, upon central adiposity, control of feeding behaviour and locomotor activity.

Design: Pregnant rats were fed a control or low-protein (LP) diet, targeted to early (LPE), mid (LPM) or late (LPL) pregnancy or throughout gestation (LPA). The offspring were studied at 9 and 18 months of age.

Measurements: Adiposity was assessed by measuring weight of abdominal fat depots relative to body weight. Locomotor activity was assessed using an infrared sensor array system in both light and dark conditions. Hypothalamic expression of mRNA for galanin and the galanin 2 receptor (Gal2R) was determined using real-time PCR.

Results: At 9 months, male rats exposed to LP in utero had less fat in the gonadal depot, but were of similar body weight to controls. By 18 months, the males of groups LPA and LPM had more abdominal and less subcutaneous fat. Females deposited more fat centrally than males between 9 and 18 months of age, and this was more marked in groups LPA and LPL. Food intake was greater in LPM males. Among females hypophagia was noted in groups LPA and LPL. Expression of galanin and Gal2R were unaffected by maternal diet. Total locomotor activity was reduced in LPE males and all LP females in the light but not in the dark.

Conclusion: Locomotor activity and feeding behaviour in aged rats are subject to prenatal programming influences. Fetal undernutrition does not programme obesity in rats without postnatal dietary challenge.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Body weight of animals over 18 months. (a) Male animals. (b) Female animals. All data are shown as mean±s.e.m. There were 11-17 male animals per group up to 9 months, and 5-8 per group from 9 to 18 months. There were 13-18 female animals per group up to 9 months and 6-8 per group from 9 to 18 months. ANOVA showed that maternal diet influenced body weight in males and females (P<0.05). *Indicates significantly different to control (P<0.05). †Indicates significantly different to all other dietary groups (P<0.05).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Locomotor activity in the light phase. (a) Novel locomotor activity. N=4-7 animals per group. ANOVA indicated that activity was influenced by sex (P = 0.036), mobility by sex (P = 0.039) and rearing by maternal diet (P=0.001). (b) Adapted locomotor activity. N=4-7 animals per group. ANOVA indicated that rearing was influenced by maternal diet (P = 0.003). *Indicates significantly different to control group, same sex (P<0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Locomotor activity in the dark phase. (a) Novel locomotor activity. N=4-7 animals per group. No significant effects. (b) Adapted locomotor activity. N=4-7 animals per group. ANOVA indicated that activity was influenced by maternal diet (P = 0.035). †Indicates significantly different to LPE group, same sex (P<0.05).‡Indicates significantly different to LPE group, same sex (P<0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Expression of mRNA for galanin and Gal2R in the hypothalamus. (a) Hypothalamic galanin. (b) Hypothalamic Gal2R. Data are shown as mean±s.e.m. for mRNA expression normalized for expression of β-actin. N=5-9 animals per group. There were no significant effects of diet or sex upon expression of these genes.
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