Influence of maternal obesity on offspring´s metabolic health

KOUTSOVITIS C; ANSELMI SK; ELIA EM

Congreso; Reunión Anual de Sociedades de Biociencias de Argentina; 2023

Maternal pre-conception obesity leads to high prevalence of obesity and metabolic anomalies in the offspring. Using cafeteria diet (CAF)-induced obesity as animal model, we previously showed that maternal obesity causes increased postnatal body weight in offspring. Aim: to evaluate the effect of maternal obesity on the metabolic state of their offspring. Experimental design: female CF1 mice (21-23 days old) were fed ad libitum with a standard diet. Mice were divided into 2 groups: control and CAF. CAF mice also offered with cafeteria diet until detecting a significant increase in their body weights compared to controls. Afterwards, mice were mated, and the subsequent offspring birth was allowed. Dams were euthanized after nursing and offspring were euthanized on postnatal days (P) 25, 45 and 75. In all cases blood was collected for metabolic characterization. Results: CAF mice showed a significantly higher body weight than controls after 75 days of diet protocol. They did not showed alterations in basal glycemia nor GTT. After gestation and nursing, obese dams showed no alterations in serum cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels compared to controls. Offspring born to obese dams did not show alterations in serum glucose nor total cholesterol levels in P25, P45 nor P75, compared to those born to control dams. However, alterations in serum triglyceride were detected in offspring born to obese dams compared to the control group, with these discrepancies being age and sex dependent. Specifically, increased triglycerides were seen in P45 male offspring (p=0,0081) as well as in P75 females (p=0,0207). Conclusion: CAF induces obesity in CF1 female mice after 11 weeks of consumption, without altering the carbohydrate metabolism. Maternal obesity does not alter serum total cholesterol levels nor glycemia. However, the offspring born to obese dams showed a time-dependent alteration of serum triglyceride levels in both sexes.