Leptin expression in offspring is programmed by nutrition in pregnancy

Birth weight is a determinant of blood leptin concentrations in adults. Sin ce nutrition during pregnancy can affect birth weight, the hypothesis that feed intake during pregnancy alters leptin expression in progeny was examin ed. Leptin mRNA was measured in subcutaneous adipose tissue and leptin prot ein was measured in blood plasma from 59 day old female pigs whose mothers were fed at the same restricted rate except that half were permitted to con sume 35% more feed during the second quarter of pregnancy. Leptin mRNA abun dance in adipose tissue (P = 0.015) and plasma leptin concentration (P = 0. 01) were higher in progeny from mothers provided with more feed. Body weigh t at birth was negatively correlated with the abundance of leptin mRNA in s ubcutaneous fat at 59 days of age (P = 0.01). This study shows for the firs t time that maternal nutrition during pregnancy programs postnatal leptin e xpression in offspring.