Reduced astrocytic expression of GFAP in the offspring of female rats that received hypercaloric diet.

Obesity promotes hypothalamic inflammation and local morphological changes in astrocytes, including the increased expression of the astrocytic biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which is seen as a sign of neuroinflammation. This study aimed to observe the astrocytic expression of GFAP in different brain areas from female rats that received a hypercaloric (HD) or a normocaloric (ND) diet during puberty (F0 generation) as well as in their male pups (F1 generation). Female rats received highly palatable HD (Ensure®) or ND from postnatal day (PND) 23-65.