Diabetes in Old Male Offspring of Rat Dams Fed a Reduced Protein Diet |
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| Authors: | Clive J. Petry Matthew W. Dorling Dorota B. Pawlak Susan E. Ozanne C. Nicholas Hales |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Clinical Biochemistry Department, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke''s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QR, UK.;2. Human Nutrition Unit, Biochemistry Department, University of Sydney, NSW, Sydney, Australia, |
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| Abstract: | Restricted fetal growth is associated with increasedrisk for the future development of Type 2 diabetes inhumans. The study aim was to assess the glucose toleranceof old (seventeen months) male rats, whichwere growth restricted in early life due to maternalprotein restriction during gestation and lactation. Ratmothers were fed diets containing either 20% or 8%protein and all offspring weaned onto a standard ratdiet. In old-age fasting plasma glucose concentrationswere significantly higher in the low protein offspring:8.4 (1.3)mmol/l v. 5.3 (1.3)mmol/l (p = 0.005),Areas under the curves were increased by 67% forglucose (p = 0.01) and 81% for insulin (p = 0.01) inthese rats in intravenous glucose tolerance tests, suggesting(a degree of) insulin resistance. These resultsshow that early growth retardation due to maternalprotein restriction leads to the development of diabetesin old male rat offspring. The diabetes is predominantlyassociated with insulin resistance. |
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