ALTERED ADIPOCYTE PROPERTIES IN THE OFFSPRING OF PROTEIN MALNOURISHEDRATS

It is becoming well established that poor fetal and early postnatal gr owth can have long-term effects on adult health, including susceptibil ity to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and hypertension. It is suggested that this results from poor nutriti on during early life having permanent effects on the structure and met abolism of certain organs and tissues. In the present study we investi gated the effect of a low-protein diet during pregnancy and lactation on adipocyte properties and glucose tolerance. Rat dams were fed on a diet containing either 200 (control) or 80 (low protein) g protein/kg during pregnancy and lactation. In addition cross-fostering techniques were employed to enable a separate evaluation of the prenatal and pos tnatal periods. All offspring were weaned onto a 200 g protein/kg diet at 21 d of age and then studied at 6 weeks of age. The mothers' prote in supply during lactation appeared to be the most critical time windo w for longterm growth. In contrast, the offspring of mothers fed on a low-protein diet during pregnancy or lactation were significantly more glucose tolerant than controls, suggesting that both time windows can have long-term effects on glucose tolerance. In addition offspring of mothers fed on a low-protein diet during pregnancy or lactation had s ignificantly smaller adipocytes than controls. However the largest red uction in adipocyte size was observed when there was a low-protein die t during both pregnancy and lactation. The amount of insulin receptor present in adipocyte membranes was increased in the three animal group s that had been exposed to the low-protein diets while levels of the i nsulin responsive glucose transporter (GLUT 4) were similar in adipocy te membranes from all groups.