Poor early growth and excessive adult calorie intake independently and additively affect mitogenic signaling and increase mammary tumor susceptibility.

We previously showed that offspring of rat dams receiving a protein-restricted (low protein) diet throughout pregnancy and lactation develop mammary tumors more quickly. Rapid post-weaning mammary growth and mammary tissue overexpression of insulin receptor, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), estrogen receptor isoform alpha and v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 (ERBB2), correlated with this risk. The objectives of this study were therefore (i) to identify underlying mechanisms of increased risk through candidate and global approaches; (ii) to determine if excessive calorie intake further increased risk and if so, (iii) to identify the molecular mechanisms mediating this. We provide evidence for transcriptional upregulation of IGF-1R by Sp1 in LP mammary tissue (P < 0.01). Cell cycle control and DNA damage repair gene cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A) (p21waf1) was also upregulated (P < 0.05) as was transcription factor nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cell (P < 0.05) and adhesion gene CDH1 (P < 0.05). Invasion and metastasis markers matrix metalloproteinase 9 and serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 1 (SERPIN1) were upregulated (both P < 0.05), whereas metastasis suppressor gene NME1 was downregulated (P < 0.01). Feeding a highly palatable diet (HPD) to increase calorie intake from puberty, additively and independently increased early mammary tumor risk, which correlated with increased serum insulin and triglyceride concentrations (P < 0.05). PTEN gene expression was reduced both by early protein restriction (P < 0.05) and HPD (P < 0.01), which may induce Akt in cell survival pathways. Progesterone receptor and ERBB2 (both P < 0.05) expression increased as an effect of an interaction between maternal diet and adult nutrition, with subsequent downstream activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. We conclude that poor early growth and excessive calorie intake exert independent and additive effects on mitogenic growth factor signaling to influence mammary tumor susceptibility.

Maternal protein restriction leads to hyperinsulinemia and reduced insulin-signaling protein expression in 21-mo-old female rat offspring.

Human adult diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes have been epidemiologically linked to poor fetal growth and development. Male offspring of rat dams fed a low-protein (LP) diet during pregnancy and lactation develop diabetes with concomitant alterations in their insulin-signaling mechanisms. Such associations have not been studied in female offspring. The aim of this study was to determine whether female LP offspring develop diabetes in later life. Control and LP female offspring groups were obtained from rat dams fed a control (20% protein) or an isocaloric (8% protein) diet, respectively, throughout pregnancy and lactation. Both groups were weaned and maintained on 20% normal laboratory chow until 21 mo of age when they underwent intravenous glucose tolerance testing (IVGTT). Fasting glucose was comparable between the two groups; however, LP fasting insulin was approximately twofold that of controls (P < 0.02). Glucose tolerance during IVGTT was comparable between the two groups; however, LP peak plasma insulin at 4 min was approximately threefold higher than in controls (P < 0.001). LP plasma insulin area under the curve was 1.9-fold higher than controls (P < 0.02). In Western blots, both muscle protein kinase C-zeta expression and p110beta-associated p85alpha in abdominal fat were reduced (P < 0.05) in LPs. Hyperinsulinemia in response to glucose challenge coupled with attenuation of certain insulin-signaling molecules imply the development of insulin resistance in LP muscle and fat. These observations suggest that intrauterine protein restriction leads to insulin resistance in females in old age and, hence, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

The role of thromboxane in cuprophan-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Previous studies demonstrated that acute infusion of cuprophan activated plasma into experimental animals produce cardiopulmonary changes which included severe pulmonary hypertension. It was further suggested that these changes were mediated by complement activation products. The current study examined the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in the pathogenesis of cuprophan-induced pulmonary hypertension in the swine. Plasma thromboxane concentrations and pulmonary arterial pressure rose concomitantly with cuprophan-activated plasma infusion; both could be inhibited by the specific thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, OKY1581. Likewise, this inhibitor also blocked the increment in plasma thromboxane concentrations and pulmonary arterial pressure induced by zymosan-activated plasma. In vitro incubation of cuprophan-activated plasma with porcine lung fragments produced significantly higher thromboxane concentrations in the medium than incubation with other porcine tissues examined. It is postulated that the complement activation products formed in the plasma during cuprophan exposure subsequently stimulated release of thromboxane from the lungs and other tissues upon infusion of the plasma into animals. The thromboxane, in turn, triggers the pulmonary hypertension.

Ethanol and temperature effects on five membrane bound enzymes.

The effects of ethanol on the activities of five membrane bound enzymes were determined using a crude membrane preparation obtained from cortex of long-sleep (LS) and short-sleep (SS) mice. These two mouse lines were selectively bred for differences in duration of ethanol-induced sleep time. The enzymes studied were two forms of NaK-ATPase, Mg-ATPase, 5'nucleotidase, and acetylcholinesterase. Arrhenius plots of the ethanol-temperature-enzyme activity studies indicate specificity in ethanol's actions. NaK-ATPase activity consists of two enzymes which were distinguished by sensitivity to ouabain. The Arrhenius plot of the high ouabain sensitivity enzyme (low Ki) exhibited a transition temperature which was reduced twice as much by ethanol in LS membranes as in SS membranes. Ethanol did not affect the transition temperature of the high Ki NaK-ATPase but the control (no ethanol) transition temperature was 2.7 degrees higher in SS membranes. Arrhenius plots of Mg-ATPase activity did not exhibit a transition temperature and ethanol did not alter enzyme activity. Ethanol did not alter the transition temperatures of 5'nucleotidase or acetylcholinesterase but the control transition temperature for acetylcholinesterase was 2.3 degrees higher in SS membranes. These results indicate specificity in ethanol's actions on membranes and that inhibition of the lipid-enzyme interactions for the low Ki NaK-ATPase is correlated with the difference in sensitivity to ethanol seen between the LS and SS mice.