QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bennis-Taleb, N. Articles by Reusens, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bennis-Taleb, N. Articles by Reusens, B.

---

Nutritional Neurosciences

A Low-Protein Isocaloric Diet During Gestation Affects Brain Development and Alters Permanently Cerebral Cortex Blood Vessels in Rat Offspring

Nadia Bennis-Taleb^*, Claude Remacle, Joseph J. Hoet and Brigitte Reusens^,1

^* Laboratoire de Biochimie et Pharmacognosie, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Moulay Ismaïl, Meknès, Maroc, and Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, WHO Collaborating Center, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

¹To whom correspondence should be addressed at Dr. B. Reusens, Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire (BANI/CELL), Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 5, B 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. E-mail: Reusens{at}bani.ucl.ac.be

In humans, low birth weight is associated with nonfatal stroke, cardiovascular disease and diabetes at adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate in rats the effect of early protein restriction, inducing low birth weight, on brain and endocrine pancreas vascularization at birth and to study if such alterations lasted until adulthood. Pregnant rats were fed either 20 or 8% protein isocaloric diets. Control newborns were nursed by their dams fed the 20% protein diet and low protein (LP) pups by dams fed either the 8 or 20% protein diet. The diets given during lactation were maintained until adulthood. The blood vessel density of cerebral cortex analyzed by morphometry in 3-d-old pups from dams fed the 8% protein diet was lower than in control (C). It remained lower at adulthood whether a LP or a C diet was given postnatally. Reduction of vascularization at adulthood induced by the LP diet limited to fetal life seems characteristic for the brain since vascularization of islets of Langerhans was reduced in neonates but normalized at adulthood by a C diet postnatally. Body and brain weights were lower in LP pups and adults. DNA concentration was lower in forebrain and higher in cerebellum in LP pups. In brain of LP adults, DNA, protein, cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were lower and were restored at adulthood by a normal diet after birth. In conclusion, cerebral cortex of offspring exposed to a LP isocaloric diet during fetal development showed reduced vascularization which remained throughout life.

KEY WORDS: • protein-malnutrition • vascularization • cerebral cortex • brain composition • rats

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Srinivasan, P. Mitrani, G. Sadhanandan, C. Dodds, S. Shbeir-ElDika, S. Thamotharan, H. Ghanim, P. Dandona, S. U Devaskar, and M. S Patel A high-carbohydrate diet in the immediate postnatal life of rats induces adaptations predisposing to adult-onset obesity J. Endocrinol., June 1, 2008; 197(3): 565 - 574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. C. Hoppe, R. G. Evans, J. F. Bertram, and K. M. Moritz Effects of dietary protein restriction on nephron number in the mouse Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, May 1, 2007; 292(5): R1768 - R1774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. C. Hoppe, R. G. Evans, K. M. Moritz, L. A. Cullen-McEwen, S. M. Fitzgerald, J. Dowling, and J. F. Bertram Combined prenatal and postnatal protein restriction influences adult kidney structure, function, and arterial pressure Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): R462 - R469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Pladys, F. Sennlaub, S. Brault, D. Checchin, I. Lahaie, N. L. O. Le, K. Bibeau, G. Cambonie, D. Abran, M. Brochu, et al. Microvascular rarefaction and decreased angiogenesis in rats with fetal programming of hypertension associated with exposure to a low-protein diet in utero Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2005; 289(6): R1580 - R1588. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. A. L Gallagher, J. P Newman, L. R Green, and M. A Hanson The effect of low protein diet in pregnancy on the development of brain metabolism in rat offspring J. Physiol., October 15, 2005; 568(2): 553 - 558. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Liu, A. Raine, P. H. Venables, and S. A. Mednick Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Externalizing Behavior Problems at Ages 8, 11, and 17 Years Am J Psychiatry, November 1, 2004; 161(11): 2005 - 2013. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Boujendar, E. Arany, D. Hill, C. Remacle, and B. Reusens Taurine Supplementation of a Low Protein Diet Fed to Rat Dams Normalizes the Vascularization of the Fetal Endocrine Pancreas J. Nutr., September 1, 2003; 133(9): 2820 - 2825. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Liu, A. Raine, P. H. Venables, C. Dalais, and S. A. Mednick Malnutrition at Age 3 Years and Lower Cognitive Ability at Age 11 Years: Independence From Psychosocial Adversity Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, June 1, 2003; 157(6): 593 - 600. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Srinivasan, S. G. Laychock, D. J. Hill, and M. S. Patel Neonatal Nutrition: Metabolic Programming of Pancreatic Islets and Obesity Experimental Biology and Medicine, January 1, 2003; 228(1): 15 - 23. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. D. Gluckman Editorial: Nutrition, Glucocorticoids, Birth Size, and Adult Disease Endocrinology, May 1, 2001; 142(5): 1689 - 1691. [Full Text]

				H. Cherif, B. Reusens, S. Dahri, and C. Remacle A Protein-Restricted Diet during Pregnancy Alters in Vitro Insulin Secretion from Islets of Fetal Wistar Rats J. Nutr., May 1, 2001; 131(5): 1555 - 1559. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. S. Patel and M. Srinivasan Metabolic Programming: Causes and Consequences J. Biol. Chem., January 11, 2002; 277(3): 1629 - 1632. [Full Text] [PDF]