Abstract
Diabetes during pregnancy is associated with aortic remodelling in the fetus, stimulating the development of cardiovascular diseases in adult life. However, studies suggest that the use of foods high in omega-3 fatty acid, such as flaxseed oil, may reverse this effect of metabolic programming. This study aimed at investigating whether the effects of diabetes in mothers are passed on to their offspring in a gender-specific manner and whether the flaxseed oil used during pregnancy and lactation reverses or not the possible negative effects of this programming. Diabetic female rats (n = 18) were mated and allocated into three groups (n = 6): high-fat group (HG); flaxseed oil group (FOG) and control group (CG) (nondiabetic rats) during pregnancy and lactation. On the 21st day, male and female pups were weaned on a standard diet until 180 days. Aorta histomorphometry was analysed. Intima-media layer thickness was larger in FOG than CG in male (+15%) and HG in female (+13.7%). Male FOG (+11.5%) showed higher amount of elastic fibre than CG. Maternal intake of flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation of diabetic mothers program the offspring to increase aorta intima-media layer thickness in adulthood and preserves aorta elastic fibres deposition in male offspring.
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Key Points
Maternal hyperglycaemia, found more frequently in obese and diabetic mothers, leads to foetal hyperglycaemia, resulting in foetal hyperinsulinemia that can lead to an increase in great arteries intima-media layer thickness, such as carotid and aortic artery, and this has a great influence on risk factors for CVD and the development of atherosclerosis in adult life. The present study was carried out to investigate whether the treatment with flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation to diabetic dam rats reverses or not the possible negative effects of maternal hyperglycaemia on adult offspring, according to offspring gender, at 180 days of age. In this study, the effect of in utero exposure to maternal hyperglycaemia on aortic remodelling of male and female offspring in adult life was assessed. In both genders, severe maternal hyperglycaemia led to the low body mass of offspring at weaning. Low birth weight can also be explained by the fact that during the pregnancy of the diabetic mothers, the foetus is confronted with severe intrauterine hyperglycaemia, which induces foetal islet hypertrophy and b-cell hyperactivity, a phenomenon that may result in early hyperinsulinaemia. This overstimulation of foetal b-cells limits their adaptation, so they become depleted of insulin granules and incapable of secreting insulin. B-Cell exhaustion results in foetal hypoinsulinaemia. Flaxseed oil supplementation during pregnancy and lactation to the diabetic mothers in the present study led to lower triglyceride levels only in the male offspring when compared to CG. In conclusion, maternal intake of a diet with flaxseed oil by diabetic mothers during pregnancy and lactation improves serum triglyceride levels only in adult male offspring. The effects of maternal hyperglycaemia on male and female offspring were not very severe and the use of flaxseed oil by mothers led offspring of both genders to increase in aorta intima-media layer thickness. Flaxseed oil preserved aorta elastic fibre deposition in male offspring.