ODP321 Impact of a Maternal High-Sucrose Diet in Rats on Fetal Physiology and the Placenta

Consumption of sucrose (table sugar) is high in much of the world. The effects of maternal sucrose intake on the placenta and fetal brain remain unknown. In rats, maternal consumption of sucrose at a human-relevant level alters the mother's physiology and steroids, as well as the adult offspring's brain and behavior. Effects in mothers are impaired glucose tolerance, increased liver lipids, increased adipose inflammation, and decreased corticosterone levels in the blood but not in the brain. In contrast, in adult female offspring, maternal sucrose intake increases corticosterone levels in the blood and the brain. In adult male offspring, maternal sucrose intake increases preference for high-sucrose and high-fat diets as well as motivation for sugar rewards in a progressive ratio task. In this study, we investigate the underlying mechanisms of the observed behavioral and endocrine effects in the adult offspring. We examine anti-inflammatory steroids, steroidogenic enzymes and cytokines in the placenta, amniotic fluid, fetal blood and brain. In our model, we feed rat dams either a high-sucrose diet (26% of kCal) or an isocaloric, matched, control diet (1% sucrose) 10 weeks prior to and during gestation. At embryonic day 19 (E19), we collected maternal serum, placenta, amniotic fluid, fetal blood, and fetal brain. We used Palkovits punch to microdissect the placenta and fetal brain. Next, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which is highly sensitive and specific, to measure multiple steroids (e. g. corticosterone, estrone, allopregnanolone). We examined multiple regions of the fetal brain (e. g. prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, hippocampus). We will also examine neuronal proliferation, microglia and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the fetal brain. Maternal high-sucrose diet increased 11-dehydrocorticosterone (inactive metabolite of corticosterone) and aldosterone in maternal serum and amniotic fluid. Testosterone and androstenedione were significantly higher in the amniotic fluid of male fetuses than female fetuses. Placental steroidogenic enzymes 3β-HSD and CYP19 were not affected by maternal diet or fetal sex; however, 3β-HSD activity was higher in the decidua than in the fetal part of the placenta. Steroid and cytokine data from the placenta, fetal blood and fetal brain are currently being analyzed. Ongoing analyses examine how a maternal high-sucrose diet affects brain development possibly by increasing inflammation. Presentation: No date and time listed