When rat dams consume a diet low in protein during pregnancy, their offspring develop high blood pressure. On a low-protein diet, the endogenous formation of the amino acid glycine is thought to become constrained. Glycine may become conditionally essential, as its rate of endogenous formation is inadequate to meet metabolic needs, and may be limiting for the normal development of the fetus. In the present study, five groups of Wistar rats were provided during pregnancy with one of five diets: a control diet containing 18% (w/w) casein (CON), a low-protein diet containing 9% casein (MLP), or the low-protein diet supplemented with 3% glycine (MLPG), alanine (MLPA) or urea (MLPU). The offspring were weaned on to standard laboratory chow, and blood pressure was measured at 4 weeks of age. Blood pressure was significantly increased in the MLP, MLPA and MLPU groups compared with the CON group, but for the MLPG group blood pressure was not significantly different from CON. Compared with the CON group, body weight was significantly reduced for the MLP, MLPA and MLPG groups, but for the MLPU group body weight was not different from CON. These data show that different forms of non-essential dietary nitrogen, when consumed during pregnancy, exert different effects upon the growth and function of the offspring. The availability of glycine appears to be of critical importance for normal cardiovascular development.
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November 19 2002
Increased systolic blood pressure in rats induced by a maternal low-protein diet is reversed by dietary supplementation with glycine
Alan A. JACKSON;
*Institute of Human Nutrition, Fetal Origins of Adult Disease Research Division, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, U.K.
Correspondence: Professor Alan A. Jackson (e-mail [email protected]).
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Rebecca L. DUNN;
Rebecca L. DUNN
*Institute of Human Nutrition, Fetal Origins of Adult Disease Research Division, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, U.K.
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Michael C. MARCHAND;
Michael C. MARCHAND
†Division of Health and Life Sciences, University College Northampton, Boughton Green Road, Northampton NN2 7AL, U.K., and
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Simon C. LANGLEY-EVANS
Simon C. LANGLEY-EVANS
‡Division of Nutritional Biochemistry, University of Nottingham, Loughborough LE12 5RD, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 21 2002
Revision Received:
August 01 2002
Accepted:
September 21 2002
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2002
2002
Clin Sci (Lond) (2002) 103 (6): 633–639.
Article history
Received:
March 21 2002
Revision Received:
August 01 2002
Accepted:
September 21 2002
Citation
Alan A. JACKSON, Rebecca L. DUNN, Michael C. MARCHAND, Simon C. LANGLEY-EVANS; Increased systolic blood pressure in rats induced by a maternal low-protein diet is reversed by dietary supplementation with glycine. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 December 2002; 103 (6): 633–639. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1030633
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