Study of the long-term impacts of the duration of lactation on maternal glucose metabolism in mice

• Grant number: 14/19896-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Gabriel Forato Anhê
• Grantee: Fabíola Furtuoso Zarpelão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Several medical studies demonstrate that the duration of the lactation period exerts long-term impacts on maternal metabolism. In general, these studies demonstrate that longer lactation periods inversely correlate with the maternal risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Although this correlation has been demonstrate by several studies in different populations, the mechanism through which lactation period impacts maternal glucose metabolism is still not described. For instance, it is not known if this higher risk for Diabetes is due to insulin resistance and/or impaired insulin secretion. Thus, the present project aims to develop an experimental model that will allow mice to breastfeed for different time intervals after delivery. These mothers will be assigned to the following groups: Lac-0 - mice that will not breastfeed after delivery; Lac-10 - mice that will breastfeed for 10 days after weaning; Lac-21 - mice that will breastfeed for 21 days after delivery. Virgin age-matched mice will be used as controls. The mothers will be subjected to glucose tolerance tests and insulin tolerance tests at different time-points after weaning (2, 4, 6 and 8 months). In parallel, in vivo insulin secretion will be assessed by determining the circulating insulin levels after glucose challenge.