Parental high-fat high-sugar diet programming and hypothalamus adipose tissue axis in male Wistar rats

Purpose Maternal nutrition during early development and paternal nutrition pre-conception can programme offspring health status. Hypothalamus adipose axis is a target of developmental programming, and paternal and maternal high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFS) may be an important factor that predisposes offspring to develop obesity later in life. This study aims to investigate Wistar rats' maternal and paternal HFS differential contribution on the development, adiposity, and hypothalamic inflammation in male offspring from weaning until adulthood. Methods Male progenitors were fed a control diet (CD) or HFS for 10 weeks before mating. After mating, dams were fed CD or HFS only during pregnancy and lactation. Forming the following male offspring groups: CD-maternal and paternal CD; MH-maternal HFS and paternal CD; PH-maternal CD and paternal HFS; PMH-maternal and paternal HFS. After weaning, male offspring were fed CD until adulthood. Results Maternal HFS diet increased weight, visceral adiposity, and serum total cholesterol levels, and decreased hypothalamic weight in weanling male rats. In adult male offspring, maternal HFS increased weight, glucose levels, and hypothalamic NF kappa Bp65. Paternal HFS diet lowered hypothalamic insulin receptor levels in weanling offspring and glucose and insulin levels in adult offspring. The combined effects of maternal and paternal HFS diets increased triacylglycerol, leptin levels, and hypothalamic inflammation in weanling rats, and increased visceral adiposity in adulthood. Conclusion Male offspring intake of CD diet after weaning reversed part of the effects of parental HFS diet during the perinatal period. However, maternal and paternal HFS diet affected adiposity and hypothalamic inflammation, which remained until adulthood.

Automated summary

Maternal high-fat, high-sugar diet was found to increase weight, visceral adiposity, and cholesterol levels in weanling male rats, while paternal high-fat, high-sugar diet lowered insulin receptor levels and insulin and glucose levels in offspring. The combination of maternal and paternal high-fat, high-sugar diets increased triacylglycerol levels, leptin levels, and hypothalamic inflammation in weanling rats, as well as increased visceral adiposity in adulthood. Male offspring consuming a control diet after weaning partially reversed the effects of parental high-fat, high-sugar diet during the perinatal period, but adiposity and hypothalamic inflammation were still affected until adulthood.