Placental composition does not respond to changes in maternal dietary carbohydrate intake in rats
1992
Lanoue, L. | Miniaci, S. | Koski, K.G.
In this study we investigated whether placental glycogen reserves and protein and DNA content could be manipulated by altering the level of glucose in the maternal diet. Pregnant rat dams were fed isocaloric diets containing graded levels of glucose (0, 12, 24 and 60%), and placentas were analyzed for glycogen, protein and DNA content on gestational days 18.5 to 21.5. Regardless of the level of glucose in the maternal diet, there was a significant increase in placental size with advancing age, which was characterized by protein accretion but not by an increase in cell number or glycogen content. Restriction of glucose in the diets of pregnant dams failed to produce statistically significant reductions in placental protein, DNA and glycogen and did not retard placental growth, even though intrauterine growth retardation was observed. Fetal weight, plasma glucose, and liver and heart glycogen were positively correlated with placental weight and inversely correlated with placental glycogen and DNA concentrations; by contrast, no significant correlations were calculated between maternal and placental variables. Our study indicates that the placenta is not affected by a specific dietary glucose restriction and that changes in placental weight or glycogen content do not account for the growth retardation observed in fetuses of dams fed glucose-restricted diets.
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