Search

Introduction: Caloric restriction (CR) has been proven to promote a series of health benefits from yeast to primates. Nowadays, increasing rates of obesity certainly encourage researchers to evaluate CR effects and establish it as a therapeutic approach. Maternal obesity is also a concern, and studies in the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) have shown the importance of interventions during pregnancy, especially those involving maternal nutrition. On the other hand, undernutrition during pregnancy leads to increased weight gain, disturbed feeding behavior and dysfunctional metabolism in adulthood. Methods: In this way, we utilized moderate CR (20% compared to control consumption) in pregnant Wistar rats as intervention, with malnutrition control by micronutrients supplementation. We assessed CR effects on offspring's developmental milestones, feeding behavior, exploratory behavior, and memory on adolescence (PND21) and adulthood (PND60). Results: We did not find alterations on litter size or birth weight, although CR pups were leaner at adult ages. Importantly, no delay in development was observed. Besides, female pups showed earlier suction reflex and male pups showed earlier response to the negative geotaxis. CR pups also showed less preference for palatable food (Froot Loops®) at adult age, which could be decisive on obesity tendency. Locomotor activity was increased by CR on PND60 and there was no effect on memory at all. Discussion: Our results on development and behavior demonstrate that gestational CR may be a helpful health strategy if malnutrition is well controlled, with potential clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Malnutrition prevention is mandatory for gestational caloric restriction. • Gestational caloric restriction increases mitochondrial function in pups' adulthood. • Pups go through adaptation during development. • Gestational caloric restriction acts on METS complexes, especially in the cerebellum. • Gestational caloric restriction directly affects litter brain. Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) is a field of biological science dedicated to investigating how different interventions during development affect an individual's life. Diet is an essential way to interact with the environment, and during pregnancy affects not only the mother but also can impact the next generations. One of these interventions is caloric restriction (CR), which has shown positive redox modulation in rats' offspring when malnutrition is responsibly controlled. Considering that mitochondrial metabolism is determinant for redox status, we investigated parameters related to mitochondrial functionality and reactive species levels in offspring's brain from rats delivered to pregnant caloric restricted dams. Therefore, pregnant rats were divided between control (ad libitum food) and CR (20% food restriction plus micronutrients supplementation) groups, and offspring's brain was analyzed on post-natal days (PND) 0, 7, 21, and 60. Mitochondrial function, as well as superoxide content, were decreased in most brain areas on PND0 and went through adaptation, showing increased mass and membrane potential in adulthood. Concerning mitochondrial electron transport system (METS), the most affected area was the cerebellum, which was impaired at birth and activated at adulthood. In conclusion, our results show that gestational CR promotes adaptation from impaired mitochondrial parameters at birth, improving mitochondrial function when compared to control, without increasing superoxide generation, at adult age. More studies are necessary in order to support the use of CR as a clinical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]