Project description:Deficiency of the transcription factor Cited2 in mice results in cardiac malformation, adrenal agenesis, neural tube, placental defects, and partially penetrant left-right patterning defects resulting from an abnormal Nodal->Pitx2c pathway. Here we show that a maternal high-fat diet more than doubles the penetrance of laterality defects and, surprisingly, induces palatal clefting in Cited2 deficient embryos. Both maternal diet and Cited2 deletion reduce embryo weight and kidney and thymus volume. Expression profiling identified 40 embryonic transcripts including Pitx2 that were significantly affected by embryonic genotype-maternal diet interaction. We show that a high-fat diet reduces Pitx2c levels >2 fold in Cited2 deficient embryos and that Pitx2c deficiency results in cleft palate. Taken together, these results define a novel interaction between maternal high-fat diet and embryonic Cited2 deficiency that affects Pitx2c expression and results in abnormal laterality and cleft palate.
Project description:Maternal nutrition during embryonic development and lactation influences multiple aspects of offspring health. Using mice, this study investigates the effects of maternal caloric restriction (CR) during mid-gestation and lactation on offspring neonatal development and on adult metabolic function when challenged by a high fat diet (HFD). The CR maternal model produced male and female offspring that were significantly smaller, in terms of weight and length, and females had delayed puberty. Adult offspring born to CR dams had a sexually dimorphic response to the high fat diet. Compared to offspring of maternal control dams, adult female, but not male, CR offspring gained more weight in response to high fat diet at 10 weeks. In adipose tissue of male HFD offspring, maternal undernutrition resulted in blunted expression of genes associated with weight gain and increased expression of genes that protect against weight gain. Regardless of maternal nutrition status, HFD male offspring showed increased expression of genes associated with nonalcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). Furthermore, we observed significant, sexually dimorphic differences in serum TSH. These data reveal tissue- and sex-specific changes in gene and hormone regulation following mild maternal undernutrition, which may offer protection against diet induced weight gain in adult male offspring.
Project description:In order to establish an obese mouse model, female mice were continuously fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) or a normal diet (control) for 16 weeks beginning at three weeks of age. In this paper, these mice are termed ‘HFD mice’ and ‘control mice’, respectively. Accordingly, we call their oocytes ‘HFD oocytes’ and ‘control oocytes’. Substantial evidence indicates that the effects of maternal obesity on embryo/offspring development can be attributed to factors within the oocyte (9). To identify such potential effectors, we performed a comparative proteomic analysis of ovulated MII oocytes from control and HFD mice.
Project description:Initiation of a vitamin A deficient diet in mid-gestation, maintained in the post-weaning diet is sufficient to cause liver and serum retinoid depletion. Wild type C57Bl/6J timed mated pregnant dams were administered either a defined vitamin A sufficient low fat (12 percent kcal from fat) diet or matched vitamin A deficient diet from embryonic day 10.5. Vitamin A sufficient offspring were weaned onto either a high fat diet (60 percent kcal from fat) or maintained on the low fat 12 percent kcal from fat diet for 11 weeks (14 weeks of age). Gestational vitamin A deficient offspring were maintained on the same vitamin A deficient diet until 14 weeks of age. The impact of the maternal diet on a post-weaning high fat diet was compared to a standard maternal breeder diet followed by the post-weaning high fat diet.
Project description:Background: Epidemiological studies suggest an association between maternal obesity and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. Objective: To compare the global proteomic portrait in the cerebral cortex between mice born to mothers on a high-fat or control diet who themselves were fed a high-fat or control diet. Methods: Male mice born to dams fed a control (C) or high fat (H) diet four weeks before conception and during gestation and lactation were assigned to either C or H diet at weaning. Mice (n=24) were sacrificed at 19-weeks and their cerebral cortices were pooled into 8 samples and analysed using an iTRAQ based 2D LC-MS methodology. Results: A total of 6,695 proteins were identified and fully quantified (q<0.01). Approximately 10% of these proteins demonstrated a minimum of one Standard Deviation of regulation across all biological replicates in at least one of the experimental groups (CH, HC, HH) relative to the control (CC). Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis showed that mice clustered based on the diet of the mother and not their current diet. In silico bioinformatics analysis revealed that maternal high-fat diet was significantly associated with response to hypoxia/oxidative stress and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex of the adult offspring. Conclusion: Maternal high-fat diet was associated with distinct endophenotypic changes of the adult mouse cerebral cortex independent of the diet of the offspring. The identified modulated proteins could represent novel therapeutic targets for the prevention of neuropathological features resulting from maternal obesity.
Project description:Genes with increased H3K27ac marks in their promoters were found in mice embryonic calvaria cells using H3K27ac ChIP-Seq. Recent data suggests that in animals and humans that a maternal diet high in fat leads to poor bone growth and development in offspring. Genes with increased H3K27ac epigenetic marks normally have higher levels of expression. Understanding which genes are being upregulated in the offspring due to maternal diet would allow for better treatments to combat bone loss to be developed.
Project description:Genes with increased H3K27me3 marks in their promoters were found in mice embryonic calvaria cells using H3K27me3 ChIP-Seq. Recent data suggests that in animals and humans that a maternal diet high in fat leads to poor bone growth and development in offspring. Genes with increased H3K27me3 epigenetic marks normally have lower levels of expression. Understanding which genes are being downregulated in the offspring due to maternal diet would allow for better treatments to combat bone loss to be developed.
Project description:Maternal high fat diet may disturb susceptibility in offspring. liver from maternal high fat diet has CpG sites that exhibit differential DNA methylationregulated compared to control.
Project description:Maternal high fat diet may disturb susceptibility in offspring. liver from maternal inulin early intervention has CpG sites that exhibit differential DNA methylationregulated compared to high fat diet.
Project description:Maternal high fat diet may disturb susceptibility in offspring. Brown adipose tissue from maternal high fat diet has CpG sites that exhibit differential DNA methylationregulated compared to control.