Green tea supplementation during gestation and lactation modulates heart lipid metabolism and oxidative status in rat offspring born of high-fat diet-fed dams

Abstract

Hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity of offspring born to high-fat (HF) diet fed dams could be improved by supplementing green tea extract (GTE) to the dam’s diet either during gestation or lactation. This study further examined the effects of developmental programming on lipid metabolism and oxidative status in the heart. Dams were fed low-fat (LF), HF, or HF with 0.75% GTE (GT) throughout gestation. During lactation, half of the HF dams were given the GT diet and vice versa. All pups were fed with LF or HF diet for 16 wk. 3-way ANOVA was used to analyze for diet effect in gestation, lactation and postweaning periods. GTE effects were more prominent during lactation than gestation. Heart triglyceride, cholesterol and free fatty acid levels were higher (P < 0.01) in offspring of dams fed GT compared with those fed HF diet during lactation. The former group also had up-regulated mRNA expression of proliferators – activated receptor alpha and its downstream genes (P < 0.05). Concurrently, activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase in the heart were elevated (P < 0.05). The data suggested that with increase in lipid utilization (anabolic and catabolic), the heart of offspring born of GT dams is protected by improved oxidative status. Developmental programming triggered by maternal GTE supplementation appears to be time and organ specific.