Maternal glycated haemoglobin, pre-gestational weight, pregnancy weight gain and risk of large-for-gestational-age babies: a Danish cohort study of 209 singleton Type 1 diabetic pregnancies.

AIMS: To examine the association between maternal glycated haemoglobin in the second half of diabetic pregnancies and the relative risk of delivering large-for-gestational-age (LGA) babies, controlling for maternal body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy, weight gain, age, White class and smoking habits. METHODS: We identified all pregnant diabetic women in North Jutland County, Denmark from 1985 to 2003. Data on HbA(1c) values from the 20th gestational week to term were collected from medical records and the babies were classified as large, normal or small for gestational age. The association between glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and relative risk of delivering an LGA baby was quantified based on logistic regression models and stratified analysis controlling for the five covariates. RESULTS: We included 209 singleton pregnancies with assessable HbA(1c) values of which 59%[95% confidence interval (CI) 52-65%] terminated with an LGA baby. Increasing levels of HbA(1c), BMI and weight gain were all associated with increasing risk of delivering an LGA baby. Analyses stratified according to maternal BMI showed that the association between HbA(1c) and risk of delivering an LGA baby was restricted to pregnancies with pre-pregnancy BMI > 23 kg/m(2). We found no association between HbA(1c) and risk of delivering an LGA baby in pregnancies with lower BMI. CONCLUSION: The positive association between glycated haemoglobin and birth of an LGA baby seems to be restricted to women with BMI > 23 kg/m(2).     

Formation of Morphine Tolerance in Offspring of Morphine-Tolerant Animals: Neurochemical and Neuroimmune Correlates

We carried out a complex physiological, neurochemical, and neuroimmunologic study of the formation of tolerance to analgetic effect of morphine and analyzed enkephalinase A activity in different brain structures and serotonin antibodies in the serum. More early development of morphine tolerance and a sharp increase in serum antibody titer was found in the offspring of morphine-tolerant rats. This points to an imbalance in the neurotransmitter system and can serve as a diagnostic marker of endogenous opioid system pathology.     

Glomerular Hypertrophy in Offspring of Subtotally Nephrectomized Ewes

We have shown that fetuses whose mothers underwent subtotal nephrectomy (STNx) before pregnancy had high urine flow rates and sodium excretions, but lower hematocrits, plasma chloride, and plasma renin levels compared with controls. To see if these functional differences in utero persist after birth and are the result of altered renal development, we studied 8 lambs born to STNx mothers (STNxL) and 10 controls (ConL) in the second week of life. These lambs were of similar body weights, nose–rump lengths and abdominal girths. Their kidney weights were not different (ConL 36.1 ± 1.9 vs. STNxL 39.8 ± 3.3 g), nor were kidney dimensions or glomerular number (ConL 423,520 ± 22,194 vs. STNxL 429,530 ± 27,471 glomeruli). However, STNxL had 30% larger glomerular volumes (both mean and total, P < 0.01) and there was a positive relationship between total glomerular volume and urinary protein excretion (P < 0.05) in STNxL. Despite this change in glomerular morphology, glomerular filtration rate, tubular function, urine flow, and sodium excretion rates were not different between STNxL and ConL, nor were plasma electrolytes, osmolality, and plasma renin levels. Thus while many of the functional differences seen in late gestation were not present at 1–2 weeks after birth, the alteration in glomerular size and its relationship to protein excretion suggests that exposure to this altered intrauterine environment may predispose offspring of mothers with renal dysfunction to renal disease in adult life. Anat Rec, 291:318–324, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Gestation Food Restriction and Refeeding Compensate Maternal Energy Status and Alleviate Metabolic Consequences in Juvenile Offspring in a Rabbit Model

Nutritional status during gestation can influence mother and offspring metabolism. Undernutrition in pregnancy affects women in both western and developing countries, and it is associated with a high prevalence of chronic diseases in later life. The present work was conducted in the rabbit model, as a longitudinal study, to examine the effect of food restriction during early and mid-gestation, and re-feeding ad libitum until the end of pregnancy on metabolic status and body reserves of mother and, its association with development and metabolism of fetuses and female offspring to the juvenile stage. Little changes in live body weight (LBW), compensatory feed intake, similar body reserves, and metabolism were observed in dams. Placenta biometry and efficiency were slightly affected, but fetal BW and phenotype were not modified. However, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and hypertriglyceridemia were demonstrated in pre-term fetuses. In the juvenile period, these changes were not evidenced, and a similar pattern of growth and serum metabolic parameters in offspring of food-restricted mothers were found, except in serum aminotransferases levels, which increased. These were associated with higher liver fibrosis. Maternal food restriction in the early and mid-pregnancy followed by re-feeding in our rabbit model established a compensatory energy status in dams and alleviated potential long-term consequences in growth and metabolism in the offspring, even if fetal metabolism was altered.     

氟砷联合染毒大鼠子代脏器中氟蓄积水平的研究

目的：探讨氟砷同时暴露对子代内氟蓄积水平的影响。方法：采用两代一窝繁殖实验的方法,观察Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠同时暴露于氟砷一定时期后期其子代脏器组织中氟含量的变化。结果：子代脏器中氟含量随亲代染毒剂量的增加而增加,但不同脏器氟的蓄积水平有所不同。结论：氟的蓄积是脏器发生病理变化及氟中毒特定临床表现的重要的物质基础。     

孕期吸烟饮酒对仔鼠体格和神经发育的影响

目的:探讨孕期烟酒对子代神经发育的影响和机制。方法:建立烟酒复合因素所致小鼠胎儿宫内发育迟缓(IUGR)模型,观察小鼠自然分娩后子代的生长发育状态及神经行为功能,测定其体内抗氧化酶活性。结果:1.与对照组相比,烟酒处理组孕鼠体重增长和仔鼠体重、脏器重均显著降低(P<0.05);2.仔鼠早期反射时间明显延长(P<0.01),运动协调能力和自主活动能力显著降低(P<0.01);3.跳台及Y-迷宫实验中学习及记忆能力均降低(P<0.01,P<0.05);4.仔鼠脑细胞浆和线粒体丙二醛含量显著增高(P<0.05),超氧化物歧化酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶活性皆呈不同程度降低。结论:孕期吸烟饮酒将显著影响子代的体格与神经发育,其机制与降低仔鼠的抗氧化能力和增加氧自由基损伤有关。     

饮水中低浓度甲基汞对小鼠仔代生长发育及神经行为的影响

[目的]ICR小鼠通过饮水暴露于低浓度氯化甲基汞(MeHgCl),观察其子代生长发育和行为及可能产生的毒作用。[方法]ICR孕鼠随机分为对照组、低浓度组(0.01mg/L)和高浓度组(0.1mg/L),于怀孕第6天起分别自由饮用蒸馏水、氯化甲基汞含量为0.01mg/L、0.1mg/L的蒸馏水直至哺乳期结束,观察母鼠和仔鼠的一般状况、仔鼠的早期发育、行为反射和学习认知能力等指标。[结果]在低浓度甲基汞作用下(相当于饮用水汞卫生标准8倍和80倍水平),亲仔两代均未出现明显的毒性反应。染毒组仔鼠的各项神经发育指标与对照组相比差异无显著性(P>0.05),但是仔鼠的学习能力显著降低(P<0.05)。[结论]在饮水中低浓度甲基汞虽然对子代的生长和行为发育没有明显的损害,但是子代的学习能力已受影响。     

High Dietary Fat Intake during Lactation Promotes the Development of Social Stress-Induced Obesity in the Offspring of Mice

This study examined how a maternal high-fat diet (HD) during lactation and exposure of offspring to isolation stress influence the susceptibility of offspring to the development of obesity. C57BL/6J mice were fed a commercial diet (CD) during pregnancy and a CD or HD during lactation. Male offspring were weaned at three weeks of age, fed a CD until seven weeks of age, and fed a CD or HD until 11 weeks of age. Offspring were housed alone (isolation stress) or at six per cage (ordinary circumstances). Thus, offspring were assigned to one of eight groups: dams fed a CD or HD during lactation and offspring fed a CD or HD and housed under ordinary circumstances or isolation stress. Serum corticosterone level was significantly elevated by isolation stress. High-fat feeding of offspring reduced their serum corticosterone level, which was significantly elevated by a maternal HD. A maternal HD and isolation stress had combined effects in elevating the serum corticosterone level. These findings suggest that a maternal HD during lactation enhances the stress sensitivity of offspring. White adipose tissue weights were significantly increased by a maternal HD and isolation stress and by their combination. In addition, significant adipocyte hypertrophy was induced by a maternal HD and isolation stress and exacerbated by their combination. Thus, a maternal HD and isolation stress promote visceral fat accumulation and adipocyte hypertrophy, accelerating the progression of obesity through their combined effects. The mechanism may involve enhanced fatty acid synthesis and lipid influx from blood into adipose tissue. These findings demonstrate that a maternal HD during lactation may increase the susceptibility of offspring to the development of stress-induced obesity.     

Commentary: The multifaceted nature of maternal depression as a risk factor for child psychopathology – reflections on Sellers et al. (2014)

While much has been learned about depression in mothers as a risk for the development of psychopathology in offspring, many questions about how the risk is transmitted remain unanswered. Moreover, maternal depression is too often considered to be a unitary construct, ignoring the likely diversity among mothers with depression, which could play essential roles in understanding not only mechanisms of risk but also moderators of risk, i.e. for whom the association between maternal depression and adverse offspring outcomes may be stronger. Sellers et al. address both mechanisms and moderators, thereby contributing to the understanding of risk to offspring of depressed mothers in these two important ways. There is much to learn from this work, on many levels and for different audiences, including both researchers and practitioners. A key take‐home message of this study for all readers is that understanding the role of maternal depression in associations with child psychopathology requires a nuanced view of the nature of risk to children from depression in mothers. The often co‐occurring disorders and highly correlated additional aspects of the context in which depression occurs play important roles in the development of psychopathology in the offspring of depressed mothers.