Heterogeneous effects of individual high-fat diet compositions on phenotype, metabolic outcome, and hepatic proteome signature in BL/6 male mice.

The multitude of obesogenic diets used in rodent studies can hardly be overviewed. Since standardization is missing and assuming that individual compositions provoke individual effects, the choice of quality, quantity and combination of diet ingredients seems to be crucial for the outcome and interpretation of obesity studies. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the individual effects of three commonly used obesogenic diets, mainly differing in sugar and fat content.

Metformin Prevents Key Mechanisms of Obesity-Related Complications in Visceral White Adipose Tissue of Obese Pregnant Mice.

With the gaining prevalence of obesity, related risks during pregnancy are rising. Inflammation and oxidative stress are considered key mechanisms arising in white adipose tissue (WAT) sparking obesity-associated complications and diseases. The established anti-diabetic drug metformin reduces both on a systemic level, but only little is known about such effects on WAT.

Treatment of high fat diet-induced obese pregnant mice with IL-6 receptor antibody does not ameliorate placental function and fetal growth restriction.

Problem: Pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes are in part fueled by the rise in obesity and its associated co-morbidities in western societies. Fetal healthy development and placental function are disturbed by an obese, inflammatory environment associated with cytokines, such as interleukin-6, causing inadequate supply of nutrients to the fetus and perinatal programming with severe health consequences.

Method Of Study: Mice received high fat diet (HFD) before and during gestation to induce obesity.

Maternal high fat diet-induced obesity affects trophoblast differentiation and placental function in mice†.

Evidence suggests that maternal obesity (MO) can aggravate placental function causing severe pathologies during the perinatal window. However, molecular changes and mechanisms of placental dysfunction remain largely unknown. This work aimed to decipher structural and molecular alterations of the placental transfer zone associated with MO.

Effect of Maternal Obesity in Mice on IL-6 Levels and Placental Endothelial Cell Homeostasis.

Obesity during pregnancy is a known health risk for mother and child. Since obesity is associated with increased inflammatory markers, our objectives were to determine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in obese mice and to examine the effect of IL-6 on placental endothelial cells. Placentas, blood, and adipose tissue of C57BL/6N mice, kept on high fat diet before and during pregnancy, were harvested at E15.

Maternal High Fat Diet and in-Utero Metformin Exposure Significantly Impact upon the Fetal Renal Proteome of Male Mice.

There is accumulating evidence for fetal programming of later kidney disease by maternal obesity or associated conditions. We performed a hypothesis-generating study to identify potentially underlying mechanisms. Female mice were randomly split in two groups and fed either a standard diet (SD) or high fat diet (HFD) from weaning until mating and during pregnancy.

A Potential Role for GSK3β in Glucose-Driven Intrauterine Catch-Up Growth in Maternal Obesity.

Obesity and unhealthy nutrition are increasing and affect women of childbearing age and hence during pregnancy. Despite normal or even high birth weight, the offspring suffers from long-term metabolic risks. We hypothesized that fetal growth is disturbed during different intrauterine phases.

Hippocampal insulin resistance links maternal obesity with impaired neuronal plasticity in adult offspring.

Objective: Maternal obesity and a disturbed metabolic environment during pregnancy and lactation have been shown to result in many long-term health consequences for the offspring. Among them, impairments in neurocognitive development and performance belong to the most dreaded ones. So far, very few mechanistic approaches have aimed to determine the responsible molecular events.

Maternal obesity attenuates predelivery inflammatory reaction in C57BL/6N mice.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are known to increase before labour. Whether gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) participates in this process and whether labour-related processes in placental and adipose tissue are altered in obese women is unknown. In our mouse model, lean mice display elevated placental inflammation and oxidative stress towards the end of pregnancy, accompanied by an increased expression of pro-inflammatory factors in gWAT.