The Effect of Neonatal Leptin Treatment on Postnatal Weight Gain in Male Rats Is Dependent on Maternal Nutritional Status during Pregnancy

• DOI: 10.1210/en.2007-0981
• Publication Date: 2008-01-11T01:35:08Z
• Authors: Mark H. Vickers; Peter D. Gluckman; Alice H. Coveny; Paul L. Hofman; Wayne S. Cutfield; Arieh Gertler; Bernhard H. Breier; Mark Harris
• Keywords: Hyperinsulinemia

An adverse prenatal environment may induce long-term metabolic consequences, in particular obesity, hyperleptinemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Although the mechanisms are unclear, this "programming" has generally been considered an irreversible change developmental trajectory. Adult offspring of rats subjected to undernutrition (UN) during pregnancy develop hyperinsulinemia, especially presence a high-fat diet. Using model maternal UN, we have recently shown that neonatal leptin treatment females reverses postnatal sequelae induced by programming. To examine possible gender-related effects treatment, present study investigated effect on phenotype adult male offspring. Leptin (recombinant rat leptin, 2.5 microg/g.d, sc) from d 3-13 resulted transient slowing weight gain, particularly programmed Neonatal normally nourished mothers caused increase diet-induced gain related sequelae, including hyperinsulinemia increased total body adiposity compared with saline-treated controls. This occurred without caloric intake. These were specific normal pregnancies not observed after UN pregnancy. In latter, conferred protection against development phenotype, those fed chow diet postnatally. data further reinforce importance determining energy homeostasis, suggest leptin's modulated gender both nutritional status.