The maternal consumption of high-fat diet during pregnancy and lactation and the modulation of microRNAs expression related to lipid metabolism

Abstract

The obesity has acquired epidemic characteristics and the data shows a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity among young. The same numbers that indicate the increase in obesity also show a significant increase in type II diabetes. It is now known that both diseases have similar characteristic metabolic that lead to a change in lipid synthesis and glucose homeostasis. The use of high-fat diet (HFD) is responsible for the increased fat mass, through the formation and maturation of adipocytes, predisposes to an increased hepatic deposit of triglycerides and activates the expression of microRNAs related to the metabolic effects observed. Although studies point to the effects of the maternal consumption of HFD during pregnancy, few studies have tried to understand how the damage starting in the cell. We believe that offspring from obese mothers present altered gene expression that can activate the synthesis of lipids (fatty acids and cholesterol) as well as to inhibit the oxidation of the fatty acids, resulting in the development of the characteristic metabolic phenotype, including the increased deposition of fat in liver and fat mass and imbalance in energy expenditure. To evaluate this hypothesis the biochemical parameters in blood and activation of proteins related to lipid metabolism in liver will be investigated. Besides, the hepatic expression of miR-122 and miR-335, both microRNAs highly expressed in this tissue, will be evaluated and related to modulation of protein related to lipid metabolism. (AU)