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Maternal protein restriction and fetal growth: lack of evidence of a role for homocysteine in fetal programming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Simon C. Langley-Evans ,
Christina Lilley  and
Sarah McMullen
Simon C. Langley-Evans*
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
Christina Lilley
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
Sarah McMullen
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Simon C. Langley-Evans, fax +44 (0)115 951 6122, email Simon.Langley-Evans@Nottingham.ac.uk
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Abstract

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The disease-programming effects of a maternal low-protein (MLP) diet in rat pregnancy have been suggested to be attributable of hyperhomocysteinaemia. The aim of the present study was to determine whether MLP feeding impacted upon maternal and day 20 fetal homocysteine concentrations, with ensuing effects upon oxidan/ntioxidant status. Sixty-four pregnant rats were fed either MLP diet or control diet before termination of pregnancy at days 4, 10, 18 or 20 gestation (full-term gestation 22d). Maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations were similar in control and MLP-fed dams at all points in gestation. Fetal plasma homocysteine was similarly unaffected by MLP feeding at day 20 gestation. Activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were similar in livers of mothers and fetuses in the two groups. Whilst catalase activity was not influenced by diet in maternal liver, MLP exposure increased catalase activity in fetal liver at day 20. Oxidative injury (protein carbonyl concentration) was lower in the livers of MLP-fed animals at day 18 gestation (P<0·05), but significantly greater at day 20. Hepatic expression of methionine synthase was similar in control and MLP-fed dams at all stages of gestation. Expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 in fetal liver was altered by maternal diet in a sex- and gestational age-specific manner. In conclusion, MLP feeding does not impact upon maternal or fetal homocysteine concentrations prior to day 20 gestation in the rat. There was no evidence of increased oxidative injury in fetal tissue that might explain the long-term programming effects of the diet.

Keywords

ProgrammingPregnancyHomocysteineAntioxidants
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 96 , Issue 3 , September 2006 , pp. 578 - 586
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

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