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Influence of maternal pre-pregnancy body composition and diet during early–mid pregnancy on cardiovascular function and nephron number in juvenile sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

G. S. Gopalakrishnan ,
D. S. Gardner ,
J. Dandrea ,
S. C. Langley-Evans ,
S. Pearce ,
L. O. Kurlak ,
R. M. Walker ,
I. W. Seetho ,
D. H. Keisler  and
M. M. Ramsay
...Show all authors
G. S. Gopalakrishnan
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
D. S. Gardner*
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
J. Dandrea
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
S. C. Langley-Evans
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
S. Pearce
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
L. O. Kurlak
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
R. M. Walker
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, UK
I. W. Seetho
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
D. H. Keisler
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
M. M. Ramsay
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
T. Stephenson
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
M. E. Symonds
Affiliation:
Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr David S. Gardner, fax +44 115 970 9382, email david.gardner@nottingham.ac.uk
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Abstract

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The prenatal diet can program an individual's cardiovascular system towards later higher resting blood pressure and kidney dysfunction, but the extent to which these programmed responses are directly determined by the timing of maternal nutritional manipulation is unknown. In the present study we examined whether maternal nutrient restriction targeted over the period of maximal placental growth, i.e. days 28–80 of gestation, resulted in altered blood pressure or kidney development in the juvenile offspring. This was undertaken in 6-month-old sheep born to mothers fed control (100–150 % of the recommended metabolisable energy (ME) intake for that stage of gestation) or nutrient-restricted (NR; 50 % ME; n 6) diets between days 28 and 80 of gestation. Controls were additionally grouped according to normal (>3, n 7) or low body condition score (LBCS; <2, n 6), thereby enabling us to examine the effect of maternal body composition on later cardiovascular function. From day 80 to term (approximately 147 d) all sheep were fed to 100 % ME. Offspring were weaned at 12 weeks and pasture-reared until 6 months of age when cardiovascular function was determined. Both LBCS and NR sheep tended to have lower resting systolic (control, 85 (SE 2); LBCS, 77 (SE 3); NR, 77 (SE 3) mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure relative to controls. Total nephron count was markedly lower in both LBCS and NR relative to controls (LBCS, 59 (SE 6); NR, 56 (SE 12) %). Our data suggest that maternal body composition around conception is as important as the level of nutrient intake during early pregnancy in programming later cardiovascular health.

Keywords

ProgrammingNutritionNephronBlood pressure
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 94 , Issue 6 , December 2005 , pp. 938 - 947
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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