Modulation of macronutrient metabolism in the offspring by maternal micronutrient deficiency in experimental animals.

Epidemiological evidence indicates that poor early growth is associated with increased susceptibility to visceral obesity, insulin resistance and associated diseases in adulthood. Studies in experimental animals have demonstrated a robust association between nutrient imbalance during foetal life and disease prevalence in their later life specially of those involving macronutrient metabolism. There is very little data on the role of maternal micronutrient deficiencies widely prevalent in India. This review focuses on different animal models of micronutrient restriction, mimicking human situations during pregnancy and lactation that cause aberrations in macronutrient metabolism in the offspring. These aberrations consist of altered body composition, dyslipidaemia and altered insulin sensitivity associated with modulated insulin production. These phenotypic changes were associated with altered lipid profile, fatty acid synthesis / transport, oxidative stress, glucose tolerance / tissue uptake. Further, these were also associated with altered myogenesis and insulin expression and secretion from pancreatic beta-islets. While these changes during in utero or early postnatal life serve as essential adaptations to overcome adverse conditions, these become maladaptive subsequently and set the stage for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Chronic maternal dietary iodine deficiency but not thiocyanate feeding affects maternal reproduction and postnatal performance of the rat.

Iodine deficiency disorders affect reproductive performance in the afflicted populations. Environmental iodine deficiency (ID) and goitrogens are important in their aetiology. We observed earlier that chronic maternal dietary ID but not goitrogen feeding altered the blood-brain barrier nutrient transport in adult rats. Whether similar differences exist in their effects on reproduction of dams and postnatal performance of the offspring has been assessed. Inbred, female, weaning WNIN rats were rendered hypothyroid by feeding for 8-12 weeks, a low iodine test diet or a control diet with added potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) (@ 25 mg/rat/day). Following mating with control males, they continued on their respective diets till their pups were weaned. Indices of reproductive performance such as percentage of conception, mortality of dams during pregnancy and parturition, litter size, and survival of pups till weaning were affected markedly by ID but not thiocyanate feeding. Neither ID nor thiocyanate feeding from conception or parturition affected their reproductive performance. Nevertheless, postnatal weight gain of pups was less in all the three ID groups but not thiocyanate fed dams. Rehabilitation of chronically ID pregnant dams from conception or parturition did not improve their pregnancy weight gain, litter size or birth weight of pups but decreased abortion and mortality of mothers during pregnancy and parturition. Rehabilitation improved the pups' postnatal weight gain but the effect was only moderate. Based on the results of the present study it may be suggested that maternal ID but not thiocyanate feeding affects reproductive performance and postnatal performance of their offspring.

Antioxidant activity of commonly consumed plant foods of India: contribution of their phenolic content.

Antioxidants are important in protection against hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants in plant foods, but their contribution to such protective effects is yet to be established. This study attempted to generate a database on the antioxidant activity (AOA) and phenolic content (PC) of some plant foods commonly consumed in India and to assess the contribution of the PC to their AOA. Plant foods belonging to different food groups such as cereals, legumes, oil seeds, oils, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, spices, roots and tubers were analysed for AOA and PC. AOA was the highest in black pepper (0.43 mg food required for 50% inhibition of the coupled auto-oxidation of beta-carotene and linoleic acid in a mixture in vitro) and it had the highest PC (191 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g food). The AOA (18.4 mg) as well as the PC (not detectable) were the lowest in sunflower oil. PC in oil seeds was higher than that in the oil, which could be due to the hydrophilic nature of phenolics and suggests the need for greater use of oil seeds than oils. A significant correlation was observed between the AOA and PC of the plant foods studied in general (r=-0.465), but the coefficient of correlation and determination were high only in spices (r=-0.86 and r2 =74%, respectively) and dehusked legumes (r=-0.65 and r2 = 42.2%, respectively). The results suggest that phenolics may contribute significantly to the AOA of some plant foods, such as spices and dehusked legumes.

Local immunity in Indian women with bacterial vaginosis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the immunoglobulin (Ig) and cytokine levels and degradation of Igs in the cervico-vaginal secretions (CVS) of non-pregnant Indian women of low socio economic status (LSES), with/without bacterial vaginosis (BV) and to assess the interactions among nutritional status, BV and local immunity. METHODS: A descriptive study in non-pregnant women of LSES attending the gynecology out patient clinic at a local government hospital, Hyderabad, India. Two hundred non-pregnant women underwent clinical, anthropometrical and gynecological examination and were screened for BV. In a sub-sample of 80 with/without BV, levels of IL-10 and IL-12, IgA, IgM and IgG were determined in the CVS by ELISA and degradation of IgA and IgM by Western blotting. Statistical significance among the groups was tested using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: Fifty seven percent of the women tested positive for BV. Women with BMI<16.0 had the highest BV positivity and the lowest IgA levels in CVS. Higher levels of IgA were observed in women with BMI>18.5. There was significant degradation of IgA and IgM in women with BV. IL-12 was undetectable while IL-10 was detected with higher means in CVS of women with BV. CONCLUSIONS: Severe under-nutrition appears to be relevant to BV positivity and local immunity in these women. Greater degradation of IgA and IgM in BV suggests impaired local immunity.

Addition of milk does not alter the antioxidant activity of black tea.

Tea is a polyphenol-rich beverage like wine and catechins are its chief polyphenols. Catechins have cardio-protective effects as they can scavenge free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation. Epidemiological studies indicate an inverse relation between tea consumption and the risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Addition of milk to black tea has been reported to adversely affect its beneficial effects, but the data are not unequivocal. Therefore, we assessed the effect of the addition of milk to black tea on its ability to modulate oxidative stress and antioxidant status in adult male human volunteers. Although the area under the curve of plasma catechins was lower on the consumption of tea with milk compared to black tea, it did not affect the beneficial effects of black tea on total plasma antioxidant activity, plasma resistance to oxidation induced ex vivo, and decreased plasma and urinary thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels. The results suggest that addition of milk may not obviate the ability of black tea to modulate the antioxidant status of subjects and that consumption of black tea with/without milk prevents oxidative damage in vivo.

Maternal dietary vitamin restriction increases body fat content but not insulin resistance in WNIN rat offspring up to 6 months of age.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Epidemiological evidence suggests that some adult diseases like insulin resistance syndrome and diseases associated with it originate in fetal life. The role of maternal macronutrient malnutrition but not of micronutrients in the fetal origin of adult disease is well studied. We hypothesise that chronic maternal vitamin restriction predisposes the offspring to insulin resistance syndrome. METHODS: Female weanling Wistar/NIN rats received a control diet ( n=6) or a 50% vitamin-restricted diet ( n=14) for 12 weeks and mated with control males. Four dams on the restricted diet were shifted to the control diet from parturition. Pups born to the remaining 10 dams on the restricted diet were weaned on to control diet or continued on the restricted diet. All groups had 8 male pups from weaning onwards. RESULTS: Birthweights of pups were comparable among different groups. Weaning body weights were low in the restricted diet group, but on rehabilitation they caught up with control animals by post-natal day 100. None of the pups had impaired oral glucose tolerance and their insulin resistance status was comparable on days 40, 70, 100 and 180. Compared with offspring on the control diet, offspring on the restricted diet had a significantly higher percentage of body fat and higher plasma triglycerides, as well as lower lean body mass and fat-free mass. They also had increased oxidative stress. Rehabilitation from parturition or weaning prevented the changes in body fat percent, lean body mass, fat-free mass and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Since changes in adiposity and fat metabolism are considered forerunners of insulin resistance syndrome, our observations suggest that maternal dietary vitamin restriction predisposes the offspring to insulin resistance syndrome in later life.

A study of inpatients with AIDS in Racine County.

Since the first patient with AIDS was reported in 1981, the incidence of this illness has continued to rise. It is estimated that the cost of AIDS-related illnesses will be $15.2 billion by 1995. In this paper, we analyzed the number of admissions for AIDS to St Mary's Medical Center and St Luke's Hospital, both in Racine, Wis. Similar to the national trend, a rising incidence for hospital admissions was noted during the last 2 years. The rate of increase per year in this country was 31%, which is well above the national rate of increase. Twenty-nine admissions for 19 patients occurred during the past 5 years. One third of these patients moved to Racine from other states. Apparently, 10% of the patients contracted their illness through heterosexual contacts.