HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free All Versions of this Article: fj.07-099523v1 22/6/2037    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tarry-Adkins, J. L. Articles by Ozanne, S. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tarry-Adkins, J. L. Articles by Ozanne, S. E.

Maternal diet influences DNA damage, aortic telomere length, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defense capacity in rats

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK

¹Correspondence: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Box 232, Hills Rd., Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 2QR, UK. E-mail: janeadkins{at}googlemail.com

Low birth weight is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) in humans. Detrimental effects of low birth weight are amplified by rapid catch-up growth. Conversely, slow growth during lactation reduces CVD risk. Gestational protein restriction causes low birth weight, vascular dysfunction, and accelerated aging in rats. Atherosclerotic aortic tissue has shortened telomeres, and oxidative stress accelerates telomere shortening through generation of DNA single-strand breaks (ssbs). This study tested the hypothesis that maternal diet influences aortic telomere length through changes in DNA ssbs, antioxidant capacity, and oxidative stress. We used our models of gestational protein restriction followed by rapid catch-up growth (the recuperated group) and protein restriction during lactation (the postnatal low-protein [PLP] group). Southern blotting revealed fewer aortic DNA ssbs and subsequently fewer short telomeres (P<0.05) in the PLP group. This result was associated with reduced (P<0.01) 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, a marker of oxidative stress. PLP animals expressed increased (P<0.01) manganese superoxide-dismutase, copper-zinc superoxide-dismutase, catalase, and glutathione-reductase. Age-dependent changes in antioxidant defense enzymes indicated more protection to oxidative stress in the PLP animals; conversely, recuperated animals demonstrated age-associated impairment of antioxidant defenses. We conclude that maternal diet has a major influence on aortic telomere length. This finding may provide a mechanistic link between early growth patterns and CVD.—Tarry-Adkins, J. L., Martin-Gronert, M. S., Chen, J.-H., Cripps, R. L., Ozanne, S. E. Maternal diet influences DNA damage, aortic telomere length, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defense capacity in rats.

Key Words: developmental programming • aging • aorta

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. A. Luyckx, C. A. Compston, T. Simmen, and T. F. Mueller Accelerated senescence in kidneys of low-birth-weight rats after catch-up growth Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, December 1, 2009; 297(6): F1697 - F1705. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Thorin and N. Thorin-Trescases Vascular endothelial ageing, heartbeat after heartbeat Cardiovasc Res, October 1, 2009; 84(1): 24 - 32. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Tarry-Adkins, J. H. Chen, N. S. Smith, R. H. Jones, H. Cherif, and S. E. Ozanne Poor maternal nutrition followed by accelerated postnatal growth leads to telomere shortening and increased markers of cell senescence in rat islets FASEB J, May 1, 2009; 23(5): 1521 - 1528. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. S. Epel Telomeres in a Life-Span Perspective: A New "Psychobiomarker"? Current Directions in Psychological Science, February 1, 2009; 18(1): 6 - 10. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]