The absence of lactation after pregnancy induces long-term lipid accumulation in maternal liver of mice

Publication date: Available online 15 December 2018Source: Life SciencesAuthor(s): Julia Modesto Vicente, Caio Jordão Teixeira, Junia Carolina Santos-Silva, Dailson Nogueira de Souza, Natália Tobar, Fabiola Sales Furtuoso, Isabel Gouveia Adabo, Frhancielly Shirley Sodré, Gilson Murata, Silvana Bordin, Gabriel Forato AnhêAbstractAimsThe present investigation evaluated whether pregnancy followed by lactation exerts long-term impacts on maternal hepatic lipid metabolism.Main methodsFemale mice were subjected to two pregnancies, after which they were either allowed to breastfeed their pups for 21 days (L21) or had their litter removed (L0). Age-matched virgin mice were used as controls (CTL). Three months after the second delivery, serum was collected for lipid profiling, and fragments of liver were used to assess lipid content and to evaluate the key steps of de novo non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) synthesis, esterification and β-oxidation, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly and secretion and autophagy.Key findingsL0 exhibited a significant increase in hepatic TG and reduced apolipoprotein B-100 (ApoB-100) expression. L21 mice had increased ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) activity and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation but no increased hepatic TG. On the other hand, L21 mice had reduced hepatic sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62) levels. Increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and hepatic apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1) expression were found exclusi...
Source: Life Sciences - Category: Biology Source Type: research