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DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1332591
High fat diet feeding to mothers induces glucose intolerance in weanling rats and affects diastolic function
Insulin resistance is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular morbidities. Nowadays more often young patients are affected by reduced insulin sensitivity and type 2 diabetes. Impaired insulin sensitivity has also been described in offspring of diabetic patients. Diastolic dysfunction is also a risk factor, specifically in cardiac surgery. The relation to insulin resistance is currently not clear. We aimed to assess glucose tolerance and diastolic function in weanling rats following high fat diet (HFD) of the mothers during gestation and lactation.
Methods: Sprague Dawley rats of 10 weeks of age maintained on normal chow (NC) were mated. Two days after mating, female rats were given HFD (D12492) ad libitum. Control animals were retained on normal chow. Diet was maintained during gestation and lactation. Pups were kept on HFD and glucose tolerance was assessed with intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (GTT) at 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age. After fasting of 6 to 10 hours, 2 g glucose/kg body weight was applied intraperitoneally and serum glucose levels were measured after 0, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. Cardiac function was evaluated echocardiographically.
Results: At 4 weeks of age female rats displayed increased fasted serum glucose levels (HFD vs. NC 4.6 mmol/l ± 0.1 vs. 3.9 ± 0.3, p < 0.05). GTT revealed impaired glucose handling at all investigated ages (AUC 4 weeks: 809 ± 13 vs. 606 ± 11, p < 0.05). Male HFD rats displayed normal fasting glucose (4.6 mmol/l ± 0.5 vs. 4.7 ± 0.8). Nevertheless, these animals showed impaired glucose tolerance during GTT from 15 minutes on (AUC HFD vs. NC 917 ± 20 vs. 683 ± 12, p < 0.05). Impairment in glucose tolerance remained comparable during development in male as well as in female rats. Furthermore, echocardiography revealed an increase in LVMI and increased E/E' at 6 weeks of HFD suggesting hypertrophy with impaired diastolic function.
Conclusion: HFD during gestation and lactation induces impaired glucose tolerance in offspring and adversely affects diastolic function.