THE ACUTE-PHASE RESPONSE OF ADULT-RATS IS ALTERED BY IN-UTERO EXPOSURE TO MATERNAL LOW-PROTEIN DIETS

The immune system has been previously demonstrated to be under the inf luence of maternal nutrition in pregnancy. Assessment was made of the effects of low protein diets (12, 9 and 6 g casein/100 g diet) fed bef ore conception and during pregnancy on the immune system of the result ing offspring in early adulthood. Control animals were fed a diet cont aining 18 g casein/100 g. At the end of pregnancy all dams were fed a nonpurified diet containing 18.3 g protein/100 g. Male pups were weane d onto this diet, which they consumed until the age of 7 wk. Rats expo sed to 18 g casein/100 g diet in utero mounted a typical acute phase r esponse following E. coil endotoxin challenge at age 7 wk. Food intake was 75% lower, hepatic zinc concentrations 25% greater, and serum alb umin 15% lower than in saline-injected controls. Pulmonary glutathione levels were 35% greater in endotoxin-treated rats than in saline-trea ted controls. In rats exposed to low protein diets in utero the trend was for the acute phase response to be blunted. This was most noticeab le with respect to the anorectic response, hepatic zinc uptake and pul monary glutathione uptake. In rats not challenged with endotoxin, mate rnal diet had pronounced effects on tissue zinc status at the age of 7 wk. Liver zinc concentrations were 21% and 16% lower in the groups ex posed to 9 and 6 g casein/100 g diets relative to the control group ex posed to 18 g casein/100 g diet. Glutathione status was altered in all groups exposed to low dietary protein in utero. Glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities were inversely proportional to maternal protein intake. Glutamyl transpeptidase activities were signi ficantly lower in groups exposed to 12 and 6 g casein/100 g diets rela tive to controls. Nutritional deficit in pregnancy has effects upon gl utathione status and significantly blunts the acute phase response to endotoxin challenge.