Impact of periconceptional nutrition on maternal and fetal leptin and fetal adiposity in singleton and twin pregnancies

Abstract

It has been proposed that maternal nutrient restriction may alter the functional development of the adipocyte and the synthesis and secretion of the adipocyte-derived hormone, leptin, before birth. We have investigated the effects of restricted periconceptional undernutrition and/or restricted gestational nutrition on fetal plasma leptin concentrations and fetal adiposity in late gestation. There was no effect of either restricted periconceptional or gestational nutrition on maternal or fetal plasma leptin concentrations in singleton or twin pregnancies during late gestation. In ewes carrying twins, but not singletons, maternal plasma leptin concentrations in late gestation were directly related to the change in ewe weight that occurred during the 60 days before mating [maternal leptin ϭ 0.9 (change in ewe weight) ϩ 7.8; r ϭ 0.6, P Ͻ 0.05]. In twin, but not singleton, pregnancies, there was also a significant relationship between maternal and fetal leptin concentrations (maternal leptin ϭ 0.5 fetal leptin ϩ 4.2, r ϭ 0.63, P Ͻ 0.005). The relative mass of perirenal fat was also significantly increased in twin fetal sheep in the control-restricted group (6.0 Ϯ 0.5) compared with the other nutritional groups (controlcontrol: 4

Impact of embryo number and periconceptional undernutrition on factors regulating adipogenesis, lipogenesis, and metabolism in adipose tissuein the sheep fetus

“…It would be interesting to determine whether the low PPAR␥ abundance contributes to a decreased insulin sensitivty in the postnatal visceral fat depot after the transition from the fetal environment, where the circulating free fatty acid concentrations are low, to the postnatal environment, where there are higher free fatty acid concentrations. The lack of change in the expression of leptin and adiponectin in the PCUN and PIUN groups is consistent with our earlier findings in PCUN fetuses (11) and suggests that leptin expression in fetal fat is not programmed specifically by exposure to poor maternal nutrition around the time of conception. AMPK has been shown to play an important role in stimulating glucose uptake and fatty acid ␤-oxidation in liver and skeletal muscle (22,42).…”

“…These findings are important, as the thermogenic capacity of brown fat and the insulin sensitivity of visceral fat are important determinants of the risk of developing obesity and an insulin resistance phenotype in later life. pregnancy; nutrition; programming; metabolism A RANGE OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES has shown that poor maternal nutrition experienced around the time of conception or during pregnancy, placental insufficiency, and being of low birth weight are each associated with an increase in visceral fat mass in postnatal life (5,9,11,17,21,27,30,31). Interestingly, exposure to a poor nutrient supply in early pregnancy, such as which occurred in the Dutch Winter Famine of 1944Famine of -1945, in the absence of a change in birth weight resulted in increased adiposity in later life (38, 39).…”

Origine fœtale des maladies de l'adulte: quelle importance pour la pratique obstétricale?

“…Par exemple, la sous-nutrition chez la brebis gestante au cours du premier tiers de la gestation est associée avec une accumulation excessive de graisse en fin de gestation [57,58]. Chez le rat, une sous-nutrition maternelle en période préimplantatoire induit des anomalies des blastocystes et une hypertension artérielle dans la descendance [59].…”

Impact and mechanisms of fetal physiological programming

“…Aside from the recent references most familiar to the authors (1-3, 9, 12, 16 -18, 20, 21, 24, 31, 32, 37, 39, 44 -46) are many others, including special issues of Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism (vol. 13,2002) and British Medical Bulletin (vol. 60, 2001).…”