Mice (C57BL/6J: B6) exposed to maternal dietary restriction (DR) exhibited fetal growth- restriction and as adults develop symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. We aimed to determine the impact of DR on fetal hepatic gluconeogenic pathway and insulin sensitivity in late gestation. Second, we aimed to determine whether a postweaning diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids would alter the development of glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and obesity in DR male offspring. The reduced rate of fetal glycogen synthesis by DR male offspring and altered hepatic gene expression of enzymes involved in insulin signalling and glucose metabolism suggest abnormal fetal development in response to DR that may contribute to the later development of the metabolic syndrome. The postweaning omega-3 diet improved obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in both DR and control males. These data suggest that nutrition in pregnancy and postnatal life play important roles in determining life-long metabolic health.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/32569 |
| Date | 25 July 2012 |
| Creators | Chun, Lauren |
| Contributors | Lye, Stephen J. |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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