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Protein-Energy Malnutrition in Rats during Pregnancy Modifies the Effects of Caffeine on Fetal Bones¹

Department of Physiology ^* Orthodontics, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA 70119

The mandibles and long bones of newborn rats were analyzed for the effects of maternal caffeine consumption and protein-energy malnutrition. On d 13 of gestation, dams were randomly picked and divided into four groups. Group 1 received a 20% protein diet and libitum. Group 2 was pair-fed with group 1 a 20% protein diet with a caffeine supplement (2 mg/100 g body wt). Group 3 received a 6% protein diet ad libitum. Group 4 was pair-fed with group 3 a 6% protein diet with caffeine. Within 8 h of delivery, all pups were weighed. Randomly selected pups were injected with ¹⁴C proline to study collagen synthesis of bones. Other pups were injected with ⁴⁵Ca to study mineralization of bones. Although the average litter size from the 20% protein groups with or without caffeine did not show much variation, fetal resorption and stillbirths were higher in litters from group 4 compared to those from group 3. The mandibular weights of pups from group 2 was less than those from group 1, whereas weight of long bones of those from group 4 was heavier. The rate of collagen synthesis and calcium content of the mandible of group 4 and ⁴⁵Ca uptake of the mandible of groups 2 and 4 were greater than that of the corresponding noncaffeine group. The rate of collagen synthesis, hydroxyproline content, ⁴⁵Ca uptake and calcium content of the long bones of groups 2 and 4 were greater than that of the noncaffeine groups. The findings suggest that nutritional factors and the effects of caffeine are closely interrelated in the growth and development of the fetus and bone in newborn rats.

KEY WORDS: • protein-energy malnutrition • pregnancy • caffeine • fetal bones

¹ This study was supported in part by the Research and Grant Committee of Louisiana State University Medical Center.

Manuscript received 18 March 1985. Revision accepted 25 November 1985.