Fetal and neonatal environment: effects on bile acid and lipid metabolism
PhD ceremony: Ms. H. van Meer, 16.15 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen
Dissertation: Fetal and neonatal environment: effects on bile acid and lipid metabolism
Promotor(s): prof. H.J. Verkade
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Epidemiological data associate adult disease to factors in the fetal- and early postnatal environment. Maternal gestational under-nutrition affects the offspring’s adult lipid metabolism. This association between fetal environment and adult disease is called “metabolic programming”. Knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms of metabolic programming can be relevant to improve long-term health through early preventive nutritional manipulations.
Using stable-isotope-techniques we studied the consequences of, and mechanisms underlying dietary- and pharmacological interventions during prenatal life on the lipid metabolism. In mice, fetal under-nutrition did not affect maternal-fetal cholesterol transport or the biosynthesis of cholesterol or fatty-acids in the last stage of gestation. In human infants, intrauterine-growth-restriction did not substantially affect the synthesis rates of lipids. The Liver-X-Receptor (LXR), an important regulator of lipid metabolism, is active in the fetal liver and can be stimulated pharmacologically by administration of an agonist in the diet of pregnant mice. Pharmacological LXR activation affected lipid metabolism in the fetal offspring in mice, without substantially affecting the lipid metabolism in the offspring in adulthood.
Overall, we showed that our stable-isotope-methodology allows the determination of effects of the maternal environment on the lipid metabolism in the murine fetus and in small infants. Our results indicate that fetal malnutrition does not lead to profound adaptations in the fetal lipid metabolism. Adaptations in fetal lipid metabolism, initiated by pharmacological LXR activation, do not sustain into adulthood. These findings do not support the hypothesis that effects of the fetal environment on adult lipid metabolism are mediated by adaptations in the fetal lipid metabolism.
Last modified: | 13 March 2020 12.59 a.m. |
More news
-
29 November 2023
UMCG opent nieuwe faciliteit voor microbioomonderzoek 
Vandaag opent het UMCG de Groningen Microbioom Hub: een nieuwe faciliteit met state-of-the-art technologie waarin alle UMCG-expertise op het gebied van microbioomonderzoek samenkomt. Dit zorgt voor unieke mogelijkheden in onderzoek en maakt nieuwe...
-
28 November 2023
Science: more exciting than showbiz
Science often seems very complicated. Most people probably don't really know what researchers do, and what it takes to make a breakthrough. That is why it is important to keep the general public informed of what is happening in science, says Iris...
-
13 November 2023
UMCG beantwoordt vragen patiënten met hulp van AI
Het UMCG zet kunstmatige intelligentie (artificial intelligence, afgekort AI) in om zorgverleners te helpen bij het beantwoorden van schriftelijke vragen van patiënten. Dit gebeurt in samenwerking met andere ziekenhuizen vanuit de EPIC Nederlandse...