BioProject

Background & Aims: The influences of the maternal diet during gestation has been suggested to be involved in the development of different aspects of the metabolic syndrome. More...

Background & Aims: The influences of the maternal diet during gestation has been suggested to be involved in the development of different aspects of the metabolic syndrome. In our mouse model we characterised the role of maternal western diet in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the offspring. Methods: Female mice were fed either a western (W) or low-fat control (L) semi-synthetic diet before and during gestation and lactation. At weaning, male offspring were assigned either the W or the L diet, generating four experimental groups: WW, WL, LW and LL offspring. Biochemical, histological and epigenetic indicators were investigated at 29 weeks of age. Results: Male offspring exposed to prenatal western style diet and to a post-weaning W diet (WW) showed hepatomegaly combined with increased hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides accumulation, compared to LW offspring. This was associated with up-regulation of de novo lipid synthesis and dysregulation of beta oxidation and lipid storage. Elevated hepatic transaminases and increased expression of Tnfa, Cd11, Mcp1 and Tgfb underpin the severity of liver injury. Histological analysis supported the presence of steatohepatitis in the WW offspring. In addition alterations in DNA methylation in key metabolic genes (Ppara, Insig, Fasn) were detected. Conclusion: Maternal dietary fat intake during critical developmental phases programs susceptibility to liver disease in mouse offspring. This was mediated by shifts in lipid metabolism and inflammatory response. Long lasting epigenetic changes may underlie this dysregulation Overall design: 4 groups of 6 male mouse were analysed , 1 experimental and 1 biological outlier was excluded , so n=6,5,5,6 in the 4 groups (LL,LW,WL,WW) Less...