Undernutrition during pregnancy in mice leads to dysfunctional cardiac muscle respiration in adult offspring |
| |
| Authors: | Brittany Beauchamp A?Brianne Thrush Jessica Quizi Ghadi Antoun Nathan McIntosh Osama?Y Al-Dirbashi Mary-Elizabeth Patti Mary-Ellen Harper |
| |
| Institution: | *Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5, Canada;†Newborn Screening Ontario, Children''s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M8, Canada;‡Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada;§Division of Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A. |
| |
| Abstract: | Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with an increased risk of developing obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. However, its effect on energetics in heart remains unknown. In the present study, we examined respiration in cardiac muscle and liver from adult mice that were undernourished in utero. We report that in utero undernutrition is associated with impaired cardiac muscle energetics, including decreased fatty acid oxidative capacity, decreased maximum oxidative phosphorylation rate and decreased proton leak respiration. No differences in oxidative characteristics were detected in liver. We also measured plasma acylcarnitine levels and found that short-chain acylcarnitines are increased with in utero undernutrition. Results reveal the negative impact of suboptimal maternal nutrition on adult offspring cardiac energy metabolism, which may have life-long implications for cardiovascular function and disease risk. |
| |
| Keywords: | energetics fetal programming heart metabolism mitochondria obesity |
|
|
