Maternal Pea Protein Intake Provides Sex-Specific Protection against Dyslipidemia in Offspring from Obese Pregnancies

Abstract

Increased consumption of dietary pulse protein has been shown to assist in body weight regulation and improve a range of metabolic health outcomes. We investigated if the exchange of casein for yellow pea protein (YPPN) in an obese-inducing maternal diet throughout pregnancy and lactation offered protection against obesity and dyslipidemia in offspring. Sixty female Sprague Dawley rats were fed a low-calorie control diet (CON), a high-caloric obesity-inducing diet (with casein protein (CP), HC-CP), or an isocaloric/macronutrient-matched HC diet supplemented with YPPN isolate (HC-PPN) in pre-pregnancy, gestation, and lactation. Body weight (BW) and metabolic outcomes were assessed in male and female offspring at weaning and in adulthood after consuming the CON diet in the postnatal period. Consumption of the HC-PPN diet did not protect against maternal obesity but did improve reproductive success compared with the HC-CP group (72.7% versus 43.7%) and reduced total energy, fat, and protein in maternal milk. Male, but not female, offspring from mothers fed the HC-CP diet demonstrated hyperphagia, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hepatic triglyceride (TG) accumulation as adults compared with CON offspring. Isocaloric exchange of CP for YPPN in a high-calorie obese-inducing diet did not protect against obesity but did improve several aspects of lipid metabolism in adult male offspring including serum total cholesterol, LDL/VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), and hepatic TG concentration. Our results suggest that the exchange of CP for YPPN in a maternal obese-inducing diet selectively protects male offspring from the malprogramming of lipid metabolism in adulthood.

Keywords: dietary pulses; lipids; maternal obesity; offspring; rats; yellow pea protein.

Figure 1

Experimental design. CON, low-calorie control diet; HC-CP, high-calorie obese-inducing diet with casein protein; HC-PPN, HC high-calorie diet with supplemental yellow pea protein (25%); LD, lactation day; and PND, postnatal day.

Figure 2

Nutrient content of maternal milk on lactation day 15. (a) Macronutrient content presented as g/100 mL; (b) macronutrient content presented as % energy; and (c) total energy content. CON, low-calorie control diet; HC-CP, high-calorie obese-inducing diet with casein protein; and HC-PPN, HC high-calorie diet with supplemental yellow pea protein (25%). ^ab Treatment groups within sex that do not share a superscript are significantly different (p < 0.05). Data are means ± SE, and n = 7–9 mothers per group.

Figure 3

Offspring growth and feed intake. (a) Litter growth (g) throughout the lactation period; (b) postnatal male and female offspring growth trajectory (g); (c) final body weights (g) in male and female offspring; and (d) average postnatal caloric intake (kcal/d) in male and female offspring. CON, low-calorie control diet; HC-CP, high-calorie obese-inducing diet with casein protein; and HC-PPN, HC high-calorie diet with supplemental yellow pea protein (25%). Maternal (M), sex (S), and interaction (M × S) were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc test (p < 0.05). ^ab Treatment groups within sex that do not share a superscript are significantly different (p < 0.05). Data are means ± SE, and n = 7–9 mothers per group.

Figure 4

Liver outcomes in male and female offspring from CON, HC, and HC-PPN mothers including liver weights and triglyceride concentration in newly weaned (a,b) and adult (c,d) offspring; mRNA expression of lipid-regulatory targets in adult offspring (e). CON, low-calorie control diet; HC-CP, high-calorie obese-inducing diet with casein protein; and HC-PPN, HC high-calorie diet with supplemental yellow pea protein (25%). Maternal (M), sex (S), and interaction (M × S) were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc test (p < 0.05). ^abc Treatment groups within sex that do not share a superscript are significantly different (p < 0.05). Data are means ± SE, and n = 7–9 mothers per group.