Maternal protein restriction and gastrointestinal tract: effects on the duodenal physiology of post-weaning rats

• Grant number: 22/03660-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Luis Antonio Justulin Junior
• Grantee: Miguel Silingardi Jorge
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Maternal protein restriction (MPR) is one of the perinatal changes associated with the theme DOHaD (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease), in which period mothers' perinatal care, when subjected to stressors, can trigger changes in the children’s development. Thus, several systems in the offspring are affected by MPR, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, with an emphasis on the small intestine (SI), in which proteins that structure the epithelium are altered, inflammatory, and stress factors cell phone. Thus, this project aims to evaluate the effects of MPR on the morphophysiology, of SI, with emphasis on the duodenal region, in rats on postnatal day 21 (PND21). Male Sprague Dawley rats submitted to MPR will be used, divided into 2 groups: Rats born to mothers fed a normoproteic diet(CTR, 17% protein) or a low-protein diet (GLLP, 6%) during pregnancy and lactation. At PND 21, the animals will be euthanized, the duodenum will be collected and immediately fixed in Methacarn or frozen in liquid nitrogen for further analysis morphological, immunostaining for epithelial proteins (ZO-1 and b-catenin), profile inflammatory process, protein expression (Western blotting) and ELISA assay for enzymes antioxidants (SOD, CAT, and GSH). The expected results are that there is an imbalance in the epithelial integrity in animals submitted to MPR, affecting the absorptive processes, besides the alteration in the antioxidant enzymes, which generates, from the beginning of life, a context of greater susceptibility to the incidence of diseases throughout life.(AU)