Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2012 Nov;55(11):822-829. 10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.11.822.

Effect of feed restriction during gestation and lactation period on changes in organ weight in rat offspring

• Kim HW
• Lee S
• Lee SH
• Jo I
• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2274150
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/KJOG.2012.55.11.822

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We examined the effect of maternal feed restriction during gestation and lactation period on changes in liver, spleen, lung and brain weight in 3 and 24-week-old rat offspring.
METHODS
At day 10 of gestation, rats were divided into two groups and given an ad libitum (AdLib) diet or 50% food restricted (FR) diet until delivery. Offspring were divided into four groups: AdLib/AdLib, AdLib throughout experimental period; FR/AdLib, FR during pregnancy and AdLib after delivery; AdLib/FR, AdLib during pregnancy and FR after delivery; and FR/FR, FR throughout experimental period. Offspring were killed at 3 and 24 weeks of age.
RESULTS
In the FR/AdLib group, all of the organ's weights were not differed among the four groups in the 3 and 24-week-old offspring. In the AdLib/FR group, liver (P<0.01) and spleen (P<0.001) weight were decreased in the 3-week-old offspring, but these weights were not differed in the 24-week-old offspring. In this group, male's lung weight was not differed but female's lung (P<0.05) weight was higher than in the control group, however, lung weight of 24-week-old male offspring was increased (P<0.01) whereas female was not differed. Brain weight of AdLib/FR group was higher in the 3 (P<0.001) and 24-week-old (P<0.001 in male, P<0.01 in female) offspring than in the control group.
CONCLUSION
Our results indicate that maternal feed restriction during critical period might impact on the normal growth and development of offspring organs and also, these effects may influence to prevalence of disease in offspring's lifelong period.

Keyword

Maternal food restriction; Pregnancy; Lactation; Offspring; Organ weight

MeSH Terms

Animals
Brain
Critical Period (Psychology)
Diet
Female
Growth and Development
Humans
Lactation
Liver
Lung
Male
Organ Size
Pregnancy
Prevalence
Rats
Spleen
Weights and Measures

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Study design. Nine-week-old male and female Spraque-Dawley rats were used in this study. After a 1-week acclimation period, rats were mated. At day 10 of gestation, rats were randomly divided into two groups and given an ad libitum (AdLib) standard laboratory chow or 50% food restricted diet determined by quantification of normal intake in ad libitum fed rats until delivery. Offspring were divided randomly into four groups: 1) AdLib/AdLib, given ad libitum diet throughout experimental period; 2) food restricted (FR)/AdLib, given 50% diet during pregnancy and ad libitum diet during lactation and adulthood; 3) AdLib/FR, given ad libitum diet during pregnancy and 50% FR diet during lactation and adulthood; and 4) FR/FR, given 50% FR diet throughout experimental period.

• 

  Fig. 2 Body weight of male and female offspring in AdLib/AdLib, AdLib/FR, FR/AdLib, and FR/FR groups during experimental period. (A) Body weight in male offspring and (B) body weight in female offspring. AdLib/AdLib, given ad libitum diet throughout experimental period; FR/AdLib, given 50% food restricted (FR) diet during pregnancy and ad libitum diet during lactation and adulthood; AdLib/FR, given ad libitum diet during pregnancy and 50% FR diet during lactation and adulthood; FR/FR, given 50% FR diet throughout experimental period.

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