Premium
n‐3 fatty acids on utero programming of insulin resistance, NASH and hyperlipidemia in Psammomys obesus
Author(s) -
Grenier Emilie,
Ziv Ehud,
Delvin Edgard,
Leduc Line,
Spahis Schohraya,
Lafond Julie,
Levy Emile
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.687.5
Subject(s) - endocrinology , insulin resistance , medicine , lipogenesis , steatosis , metabolic syndrome , fatty liver , offspring , insulin , adipose tissue , biology , diabetes mellitus , pregnancy , disease , genetics
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents the inflammatory form of liver steatosis, which can progress to fibrosis and cirrhosis. NASH is associated with features of the insulin resistance syndrome. In view of the hypothesis that under nutrition in utero enduringly affects the function and metabolism, thereby leading to coronary heart disease in later life, we attempted to examine whether n‐3 fatty acid (FA) supplementation during pregnancy may prevent metabolic disorders and NASH in the adult period. Experiments were carried out on Psammomys obesus gerbils, a model of nutritionally induced metabolic syndrome. Pregnant females were assigned to an isocaloric control diet or a diet rich in fish oil and analyses were carried out in the offspring of diabetic mothers. Our findings could document: (1) a decrease in obesity as assessed by body weight and adipose tissue mass; (2) diminished hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance; (3) reduced amounts of lipid content in the liver; (4) lessened inflammation as reflected by the levels of TNFα; and (5) raised levels of adiponectine. Further experiments disclosed a reduced gene expression of FA synthase, malic enzyme and acetyl CoA carboxylase, emphasizing attenuation in hepatic lipogenesis. Overall, our results suggest that maternal nutrition influences fetal programming, insulin resistance and diabetes in later life. Furthermore, our works emphasizes the impact of n‐3 FA on intrauterine mechanisms regulating risk factors of cardiovascular health during adulthood.