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Dietary composition programmes placental phenotype in mice
Author(s) -
Coan P. M.,
Vaughan O. R.,
McCarthy J.,
Mactier C.,
Burton G. J.,
Constância M.,
Fowden A. L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.208629
Subject(s) - placenta , endocrinology , biology , fetus , medicine , pregnancy , dietary protein , amino acid , transporter , phenotype , glucose transporter , andrology , biochemistry , gene , genetics , insulin
Non‐technical summary Studies on mice using severe diets show alterations in placental function, and fetal and adult health. However, little is known about the effects of mild dietary variations on the placenta. We investigated placental growth and function in mice fed diets with similar energy, but small differences in protein and sugar content. We show that placental adaptations occur to help support fetal growth: reduced protein leads to increased glucose transport and transporter gene expression in late pregnancy; just prior to term, amino acid transport expression correlated with protein intake; the placental endocrine compartment was smaller with the least dietary protein and somewhat larger with slight reduction in protein. Placentas in mice fed the least protein were better adapted than those exposed to slight protein reduction. These results may provide a good index of conditions in the womb and have important implications for the pre‐birth programming of life expectancy.