Maternal high-fat diet consumption induces sex-dependent alterations of the endocannabinoid system and redox homeostasis in liver of adult rat offspring

Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 3;8(1):14751. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32906-0.

Abstract

Maternal diet plays a critical role in health development. Perinatal overnutrition induces metabolic dysfunctions and obesity in the offspring. Obesity is associated with endocannabinoid system (ECS) over activation and oxidative stress. Liver ECS activation induces hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis while the antagonism of cannabinoid receptors ameliorates these alterations. Here, we investigated the effect of perinatal maternal high-fat diet (HF, 29% of calories as fat) on the ECS and antioxidant system in liver of male and female adult rat offspring (180 days old). Maternal HF diet increased hepatic cannabinoid receptors, ECS metabolizing enzymes and triglyceride content, with male offspring more affected. ECS changes are likely independent of estradiol serum levels but associated with increased hepatic content of estrogen receptor, which can stimulate the expression of ECS components. Differently, maternal HF diet decreased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and increased oxidative stress markers in both sexes. Alterations in the redox homeostasis were associated with mitochondria damage but not with liver fibrosis. Our data suggest that maternal HF diet induces ECS over activation in adulthood, and that male offspring are at higher risk to develop liver disease compared with female rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Catalase / genetics
  • Catalase / metabolism
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects*
  • Endocannabinoids / metabolism
  • Estradiol / blood
  • Fatty Liver / etiology
  • Fatty Liver / genetics*
  • Fatty Liver / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / genetics
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Homeostasis / genetics
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / etiology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / genetics*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Male
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / pathology
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / etiology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / genetics*
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / metabolism
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / pathology
  • Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Cannabinoid / genetics*
  • Receptors, Cannabinoid / metabolism
  • Receptors, Estrogen / genetics
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Sex Factors
  • Superoxide Dismutase / genetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • Endocannabinoids
  • Receptors, Cannabinoid
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Triglycerides
  • Estradiol
  • Catalase
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase