The Effect of Maternal High-Fat Feeding on Energy Homeostasis in Stressed Adult Male Rat Offspring

In the present study the effect of chronic maternal high-fat diet consumption on energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism in response to chronic stress was investigated in adult male rats. Female rats were divided into two groups of normal and high fat diets. Each group received their diet from 3 weeks before pregnancy until the end of lactation. At 8 weeks of age, male offspring were divided into control and stress groups, the stress group receiving variable stress for 2 weeks. At the end of 10 weeks, plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, corticosterone and leptin were measured and intra-abdominal fat was weighed in all male offspring. The body weight, food and calorie intake of the rats were also measured. Maternal high-fat diet alone reduced intra-abdominal fat weight, plasma concentrations of corticosterone and leptin, body weight, food and calorie intake, although at had no effect on fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations, or on HOMA-IR index. In response to stress, the maternal high-fat diet reduced corticosterone and leptin plasma concentrations, body weight, food and calorie intake compared to the control group; whereas did not significantly change the intra-abdominal fat weight, plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as HOMA-IR index. From the results of the present study it seems we can conclude that maternal HFD feeding, in a critical developmental period (perinatal), by altering responsiveness of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and/or central leptin sensitivity, exacerbates impaired energy homeostasis in stressed adult offspring.