Prenatal High Protein Exposure Decreases Energy Expenditure and Increases Adiposity in Young Rats

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Abstract
Epidemiologic results suggest that protein intake in infancy and later adiposity might be related. We examined whether high dietary protein exposure in utero and/or during postnatal life affects body fatness. Two groups of female rats were mated and pair-fed isocaloric high (40% protein; HP) or adequate protein (20% protein; AP) diets throughout pregnancy. The male offspring were suckled (3 wk) by foster mothers pair-fed HP or AP diets, resulting in 4 pre-/postnatal groups (AP-AP, AP-HP, HP-AP, HP-HP). Subsequently, they were pair-fed the same diets their nurses received during lactation until wk 9. Offspring of HP dams had a lower body weight on d 2 of life than their AP counterparts (7.6 ± 0.7 vs. 8.3 ± 0.8 g; P < 0.001). HP-AP rats had a higher body weight than AP-AP controls at wk 3, 5, and 6 (P < 0.05), in contrast to HP-HP which did not differ from controls. Prenatal HP exposure resulted in a greater total and relative fat mass and decreased total energy expenditure at wk 9 (P < 0.05). Postnatal HP alone had no significant effect on body composition or metabolic rate. These results indicate that in utero exposure to a high protein level reprograms body weight and energy homeostasis.