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Gestational chronic intermittent hypoxia causes asymmetric growth restriction and alters cholesterol homeostasis in the liver of sprague‐dawley rats
Author(s) -
Iqbal Waseem,
Barry Eric,
Hardy Daniel,
Ciriello John
Publication year - 2012
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.26.1_supplement.1101.3
Subject(s) - offspring , endocrinology , medicine , gestation , biology , cholesterol , intrauterine growth restriction , pregnancy , gestational age , genetics
This study was done to investigate the effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) during gestation on the development of offspring. Female Sprague‐Dawley rats were mated, housed individually, and kept on a standard rat chow diet during the study. Pregnant females (n=8) were exposed daily to CIH (6.5% O 2 nadir; 18 cycles/h; 8 h/day) from gestational day‐1 to day‐20. Control (n=6) mothers were exposed similarly to room air. Postnatal day‐1 offspring from CIH mothers showed significantly lower body weights, and lower liver‐to‐body weight ratios. By 12‐wk of age, body weights of growth restricted offspring were significantly greater, as were the liver‐to‐body weight ratios. These offspring also had greater body fat deposition and elevated circulating cholesterol levels at both 6‐wk and 12‐wk of age. Western blot and qPCR analysis showed that CIH offspring had decreased protein and gene expression of markers vital for cholesterol regulation in the liver, including Liver X Receptor (LXR), ABCA1 (cholesterol efflux) and the LDL receptor (cholesterol catabolism). These data show that alteration of the maternal intrauterine environment by gestational CIH has significant consequences on the long‐term development of offspring and increases the disposition of the animals to metabolic diseases in adulthood. Supported by Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canadian Institutes of Health Research