Maternal protein restriction induces gastrointestinal dysfunction and enteric nervous system remodeling in rat offspring

What is it about?

Early-life adversity occurring during the perinatal period is a major risk factor for the development of diseases later in life. In particular, a strong relationship has been demonstrated between early-life stress and the onset and severity of several gastrointestinal diseases in adolescence or in adulthood, including irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Many types of stress, including psychosocial (maternal deprivation, physical and emotional abuse), immunological (infection) and nutritional (maternal restriction diet) stress, have been identified as risk factors of gastrointestinal disorders later in life. However, the consequences of the nutritional stress on the gastrointestinal tract are poorly characterized. In this study, we used a rat model mimicking a low maternal protein diet to investigate in the offspring the effects of perinatal nutritional stress on the different components of the gastrointestinal tract. We found major modifications of gastrointestinal functions as reflected by increased intestinal motility and permeability, associated with changes of the enteric nervous system. In this later, the number of neurons producing the central gut neuromediator acetylcholine was increased while the molecular pathways involved in the stress response were impaired. Moreover, we identified the blood stress hormone corticosterone, which was abnormally high in the progeny, as an important triggering factor in the gastrointestinal tract defects induced by a perinatal nutritional stress. Overall, our study suggests that the nutritional early-life environment represents a key determinant to maintain gastrointestinal health throughout life, likely through the modulation of the stress hormone system.

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