Effects of high-fat diet intake during perinatal period on reflex-ontogeny and intestinal morphometry of rat offspring

Reflex-ontogeny and intestinal morphometrics were evaluated in Wistar rats whose mothers were fed on a high-fat diet during the perinatal period. Male pups (n=52) formed four experimental groups: NN (pups from mothers with lab chow diet during gestation and lactation); NH (pups from mothers with lab chow diet during pregnancy and high-fat in lactation); HH (pups from mothers with high-fat diet during gestation and lactation); HN (pups from mothers with high-fat diet during pregnancy and lab chow in lactation). The reflex ontogeny, the maturation of physical characteristics and parameters of somatic growth were evaluated during lactation. In addition, the body mass index (BMI), the specific rate of weight gain (SRWG), the Lee index, the weight of the brain and intestinal parameters were analyzed after weaning. High-fat diet during pregnancy (HH and HN groups) delayed the maturation of reflexes and physical characteristics. The high-fat diet affected somatic growth differently, reducing somatic growth parameters in the groups NH and HH and increasing in the HN group. The highest SRWG was found in group HN. SRWG and BMI were reduced in the groups NH and HH. The relative intestinal weight was reduced in the groups NH, HH and HN. The relative length of small intestine was longer in group HN than in group NN. The total height of the mucosa and size of the villous were lower in group HH than in group NN. In conclusion, high-fat diet promoted negative consequences for the development of the nervous and enteric systems of the offspring(AU)

Ontogenia refleja y morfometría intestinal fueron evaluados en crías de ratas Wistar que fueron alimentadas con una dieta alta en grasas durante el período perinatal. Los descendientes machos (n = 52) formaron cuatro grupos experimentales: NN (hijos de madres que utilizaron alimentos de laboratorio durante la gestación y la lactancia); NH (hijos de madres que comieron dieta de laboratorio durante el embarazo y dieta con un alto contenido de grasas en la lactancia); HH (hijos de madres con una dieta alta en grasas durante el embarazo y la lactancia); HN (hijos de madres que comieron una dieta alta en grasas durante el embarazo y comida de laboratorio durante la lactancia). La ontogenia refleja, la maduración de las características físicas y los parámetros de crecimiento somático durante la lactancia fueron evaluados. Además, el índice de masa corporal (IMC), la tasa específica de aumento de peso (SRWG), el índice de Lee, el peso cerebral y los parámetros intestinales fueron analizados después del destete. La dieta alta en grasas durante el embarazo (grupos HH y HN) retrasó la maduración de reflejos y características físicas. La dieta alta en grasas afectó el crecimiento somático de manera diferente, reduciendo los parámetros de crecimiento somático en los grupos NH y HH y aumentando en el grupo HN. El SRWG más grande se encontró en el grupo HN. El SRWG y el IMC se redujeron en los grupos NH y HH. El peso relativo intestinal se redujo en los grupos NH, HH y HN. La longitud relativa del intestino delgado fue mayor en el grupo HN que en el grupo NN. La altura total de la mucosa y el tamaño de las vellosidades fueron menores en el grupo HH que en el grupo NN. En conclusión, la dieta alta en grasas tuvo consecuencias negativas para el desarrollo de los sistemas nervioso y entérico de la prole(AU)

Early malnutrition, but not age, modulates in the rat the L-Arginine facilitating effect on cortical spreading depression.

Nutritional factors acting during brain development can permanently alter brain electrophysiology. L-Arginine is the precursor of nitric oxide synthesis, which can modulate brain function. Here we investigated the effect of early-in-life administration (during postnatal days 7-28) of L-Arginine (300 mg/(kg day)) on cortical spreading depression (CSD), recorded in well-nourished and malnourished (large litters technique) rats aged 30-40 days (young) and 90-110 days (adult). Compared to water-treated controls, well-nourished L-Arginine-treated rats, but not the malnourished ones, displayed higher CSD velocities (P<0.05) at both ages. The mean+/-S.D. CSD velocities (in mm/min) were: for water- and L-Arginine well-nourished rats, 3.78+/-0.23 and 4.36+/-0.19 (young groups), and 3.28+/-0.16 and 4.09+/-0.30 (adult); for the same conditions in the malnourished rats, 4.22+/-0.09 and 4.27+/-0.21 (young), and 4.11+/-0.18 and 4.21+/-0.33 (adult). L-Arginine treatment did not affect body and brain weights. It is concluded that early L-Arginine treatment long lastingly increased brain CSD-susceptibility and this effect is abolished by early malnutrition.