Impact on the developmental profile of the murine heart by maternal protein restriction during preganancy

Asopa, S., Anthony, F.W., Cagampang, F.R.A., Terroni, P.L., Bhattacharya, S., Ohri, S.K. and Hanson, M.A. (2007) Impact on the developmental profile of the murine heart by maternal protein restriction during preganancy. Early Human Development, 83 (Supplement1), p.S87. (doi:10.1016/S0378-3782(07)70186-X).

Abstract

Aims: We hypothesised that intrauterine environmental factors such as undernutrition may have an impact on cardiac development in prenatal life, leading to cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we examined the effects of maternal dietary protein restriction (PR) during pregnancy on fetal heart development in the mouse. Study design and Subjects: CD1 mice were placed on control C (18% casein) or protein restricted PR (9% casein) diet during pregnancy. Fetal hearts were collected on day 12 of gestation and the left ventricles (LV) of adult offspring at 6 months.
Outcome Measures: p53, e2f1 mRNA expression was measured by real time RT PCR, fetal heart ventricular volumes and surface area of by MRI.
Results: No differences were demonstrated in p53 and E2f1 expression in fetal heart or adult LV. MRI revealed smaller hearts in the PR group, both for surface area (PR, 13831±68 vs. C, 16356±37 mm2, p<0.01) and ventricular volume (PR, 22114±43 v C, 27404±10 mm3; p<0.001).
Conclusion: These results indicate that protein restriction during pregnancy leads to a smaller fetal heart (MRI scan), perhaps due to its effect on cell allocation and division. Lack of difference in the expression of p53 and E2f1, genes involved in cell inhibition and apoptosis and cell proliferation, respectively in either group suggest that changes in fetal heart size are due to the reduction of cardiomyocyte growth (supported by lower cyclin g1 expression previously described) in the PR group.

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Contributors

Author: F.R.A. Cagampang

Author: M.A. Hanson

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