Effect of Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae, Ochrophyta) on Body Weight Gain, Adipose Tissue, and Liver Tissue in Second-Generation Mice With a Maternal High-Fat Diet

OBJECTIVES: M. pyrifera is a cosmopolitan seaweed that has been widely recognized for its bioactive content which can act as nutrition enhancers and metabolism regulators in food. Recently used in the South American diet and has the potential for wider introduction. This study aims to elucidate the effect of M. pyrifera consumption on body weight gain, adipose tissue and liver tissue in the progeny of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS: Twelve female BALB/c mice were divided into four groups, each of which was fed with a different diet: Normal diet (ND), with 21% fat; HFD, with 49% fat; HFD, containing 0.1% pulverized M. pyrifera algae (pMpa) and, HFD containing 1% pMpa. Female mice began receiving their assigned diets seven days before pregnancy and continued until weaning, after which the offspring received the same diet until the end of the experiment. Each female was paired one-on-one with a male during the pre-pregnancy period. Six pups were randomly selected from each litter for postnatal weight checking every other day from age two days through 42 days. Moreover, half of each litter was randomly selected to measure adipose tissue cellularity on histological sectional software. ANOVA test was used to determine statistical significance. Liver tissue analysis was assessed by qualitative anatomopathological description at ages 21 days and 42 days. RESULTS: The HFD increased body weight in mice after weaning with p < 0.01. Area and adipocyte number averages were increased in mice fed with HFD, at an average of 443.7 ± 132.7 µm(2) compared to 210.6 ± 29.7 µm(2) for mice given ND with p < 0.05 besides 73,0 ± 16,5 average number compared with 33,9 ± 12,1 adipocytes for mice given ND with p < 0.05. Also, litters fed HFD show liver damage. No differences were found for birth weight, body weight gain, or the average number or area of adipocytes between the HFD groups. The histopathological evaluation of the liver tissue at weaning showed liver tissue amelioration for the groups with 0.1% pMpa and 1% pMpa, showing regeneration and less damage compared to the group fed with HFD and no pMpa. CONCLUSIONS: There is a favorable effect caused by the addition of M. pyrifera on liver damage at weaning. However, there is not enough evidence to guarantee its benefit at this stage relating to adiposity and weight gain. FUNDING SOURCES: Consejo Superior de Investigación - Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.