Publication
Title
The interplay of maternal and offspring obesogenic diets : the impact on offspring metabolism and muscle mitochondria in an outbred mouse model
Author
Abstract
Consumption of obesogenic (OB) diets increases the prevalence of maternal obesity worldwide, causing major psychological and social burdens in women. Obesity not only impacts the mother's health and fertility but also elevates the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders in the offspring. Family lifestyle is mostly persistent through generations, possibly contributing to the growing prevalence of obesity. We hypothesized that offspring metabolic health is dependent on both maternal and offspring diet and their interaction. We also hypothesized that the sensitivity of the offspring to the diet may be influenced by the match or mismatch between offspring and maternal diets. To test these hypotheses, outbred Swiss mice were fed a control (C, 10% fat, 7% sugar, and n = 14) or OB diet (60% fat, 20% sugar, and n = 15) for 7 weeks and then mated with the same control males. Mice were maintained on the same corresponding diet during pregnancy and lactation, and the offspring were kept with their mothers until weaning. The study focused only on female offspring, which were equally distributed at weaning and fed C or OB diets for 7 weeks, resulting in four treatment groups: C-born offspring fed C or OB diets (C >> C and C >> OB) and OB-born offspring fed C or OB diets (OB >> C and OB >> OB). Adult offspring's systemic blood profile (lipid and glucose metabolism) and muscle mitochondrial features were assessed. We confirmed that the offspring's OB diet majorly impacted the offspring's health by impairing the offspring's serum glucose and lipid profiles, which are associated with abnormal muscle mitochondrial ultrastructure. Contrarily, maternal OB diet was associated with increased expression of mitochondrial complex markers and mitochondrial morphology in offspring muscle, but no additive effects of (increased sensitivity to) an offspring OB diet were observed in pups born to obese mothers. In contrast, their metabolic profile appeared to be healthier compared to those born to lean mothers and fed an OB diet. These results are in line with the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, suggesting that OB-born offspring are better adapted to an environment with high energy availability later in life. Thus, using a murine outbred model, we could not confirm that maternal obesogenic diets contribute to female familial obesity in the following generations.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Frontiers in physiology / Frontiers Research Foundation (Lausanne, Switzerland) - [Lausanne], 2010, currens
Publication
[Lausanne] : Frontiers Research Foundation , 2024
ISSN
1664-042X
DOI
10.3389/FPHYS.2024.1354327
Volume/pages
15 (2024) , p. 1-16
Article Reference
1354327
ISI
001196720600001
Pubmed ID
38585221
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Fundamental understanding and development of preconception care strategies to improve maternal fertility and to protect offspring's health in obese individuals
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 02.05.2024
Last edited 08.05.2024
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