Mothers cafeteria diet induced sex-specific changes in fat content, metabolic profiles, and inflammation outcomes in rats offspring

“Western diet” containing high concentrations of sugar and fat consumed during pregnancy contributing to development of obesity and diabetes type 2 in offspring. To mimic effects of this diet, in animals cafeteria (CAF) diet is used. We hypothesis that CAF diet given to rats before, during pregnancy and lactation differently influence fat content, metabolic and inflammation profiles in offspring. Female were exposed to CAF or control diets before pregnancy, during pregnancy and lactation. At postnatal day 25 (PND 25) body composition, fat contents were measured, blood was collected for assessment of metabolic and inflammation profiles. We have found that CAF diet leaded to sex-specific alterations in offspring. At PND25, CAF offspring had: 1) higher percentage of fat content and were lighter; 2) sex-specific differences in levels of glucose; 3) higher levels of interleukins 6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α); 4) sex-specific differences in concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α, with increase in CAF females; 5) higher level of IL-10 in both sex, with bigger increase in females. We concluded that maternal CAF diet affects fat content, metabolic profiles, and inflammation parameters in offspring. Above effects are sex-specific, with female offspring being more susceptible to the diet.