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Maternal food restriction in the second half of pregnancy affects vascular function but not blood pressure of rat female offspring

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Kathleen Holemans ,
Robert Gerber ,
Kris Meurrens ,
Fred De Clerck ,
Lucilla Poston  and
F. André Van Assche
Kathleen Holemans*
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Robert Gerber
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UMDS, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
Kris Meurrens
Affiliation:
Proefdierencentrum, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Fred De Clerck
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Pharmacology, Janssen Research Foundation, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
Lucilla Poston
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UMDS, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
F. André Van Assche
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author: fax +32 1634 4205, email Kathleen.Holemans@med.kuleuven.ac.be
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Abstract

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Food restriction during pregnancy in rats induces intrauterine growth retardation with consequences persisting into adulthood. In the present study we have investigated the hypothesis that malnutrition in pregnant rats may lead to altered cardiovascular function in adult female offspring. Perinatal growth retardation was induced by a 50 % reduction of normal dietary intake in rats during the second half of pregnancy. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure values and heart rate were recorded in conscious female offspring (100 d old) using a femoral artery probe. No significant differences in heart rate, or in systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded between control offspring and offspring of nutritionally deprived rats. In order to ascertain whether cardiovascular variables in the offspring were influenced by lactation, subgroups of offspring from food-restricted dams were fostered with lactating dams fed on a normal diet. Blood pressure and heart rate were also found to be normal in these offspring. The rise in blood pressure associated with NO inhibition was similar in all groups. Isolated resistance artery function was assessed in vitro in offspring (100–120 d old) of a second group of semi-starved dams. Small mesenteric arteries from these animals showed reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation (to acetylcholine and bradykinin), but enhanced sensitivity to exogenous NO (sodium nitroprusside). We conclude that food restriction during the second half of pregnancy and/or lactation does not induce hypertension in adult offspring, but may effect subtle changes in vascular function.

Keywords

Food restrictionIntrauterine growth retardationVascular function
Type
Short communication
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 81 , Issue 1 , January 1999 , pp. 73 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1999

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