Effects of fructose feeding on maternal and amniotic fluid corticotropin releasing hormone and C-reactive protein in pregnant female Sprague-dawley rats

Abstract

Exposure to a compromised intra uterine environment has been known to alter fetal growth and metabolic processes with long term consequences for health. Maternal nutrition prior to and during gestation plays a role in fetal programming, however the mechanisms underlying these changes have not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of fructose feeding on maternal serum and amniotic fluid insulin, corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), C - reactive protein (CRP), and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2) on days 12, 15 and 18 of pregnancy in control and fructose fed rats. Virgin female rats were randomly divided into 2 groups; control group fed with normal rat chow and fructose group fed with 25% w/w fructose orally for 10 weeks. Female rats were mated with proven male rats and the presence of sperm cells in the virginal smear the following morning was taken as day 1 of pregnancy. Maternal serum and amniotic fluid samples were obtained on days 12, 15 and 18 of pregnancy for insulin, CRH, CRP, IGF-1 and IGF-2 measurements using ELISA techniques. Maternal and amniotic fluid insulin, CRH, CRP and IGF-1 levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the fructose-fed group compared to the control group. IGF-2 level was not significantly different in the maternal and amniotic fluid samples in both groups. The results suggest that stress and inflammatory mechanisms may be implicated in the role maternal nutrition plays in developmental plasticity.

Keywords: Insulin resistance, CRH, CRP, IGF-1 and IGF-2, fetal programming