Based on the Developmental Origin of Health and Disease concept, maternal undernutrition has been shown to sensitize adult offspring to metabolic pathologies such as obesity. Using a model of maternal 70% food restriction in pregnant female rats throughout gestation (called FR30), we previously reported that obesity-prone adult male rat offspring displayed hyperleptinemia with modifications in leptin and leptin receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in white adipose tissue (WAT). Apelin is a member of the adipokine family that regulates various aspects of energy metabolism and WAT functionality. We investigated whether apelin and its receptor APJ could be a target of maternal undernutrition. Adult male rat offspring from FR30 dams showed increased plasma apelin levels and apelin gene expression in WAT. Post-weaning high-fat diet led to marked increase in APJ mRNA and protein levels in offspring's WAT. We demonstrate that maternal undernutrition and post-weaning diet have long-term consequences on the apelinergic system of adult male rat offspring.
Keywords: APJ; HF diet; adipogenesis; apelin; fetal programming.