FRI386 Effects Of Maternal Sucrose Intake During Pregnancy On Steroids In The Placenta And Fetal Brain Of Rats
Authors: Jung Minseon M , Seib Désirée R , Chen Hui W , Idrissi Marwa , Soma Kiran K 
Published: October 2023

Disclosure: M.M. Jung: None. D.R. Seib: None. H.W. Chen: None. M. Idrissi: None. K.K. Soma: None.

Intake of added sugars such as sucrose (table sugar) is high globally. Many people consume more than 20% of their daily calories as added sugars. High-sucrose consumption alters steroids and the brain. In rats, a human-relevant level of maternal sucrose intake starting 10 weeks before, during, and after pregnancy decreases maternal corticosterone in the serum but increases corticosterone in the blood and brain of the adult female offspring. Similarly, rat dams fed a high-sucrose diet starting 10 weeks before and during gestation have elevated 11-dehydrocorticosterone (DHC) in the serum and amniotic fluid and reduced testosterone and androstenedione in the labyrinth/junctional zone and decidua, respectively. Aldosterone is also elevated in the amniotic fluid, fetal blood, and fetal brain (nucleus accumbens, NAc). Thus, it is clear that maternal sucrose intake alters both maternal and offspring steroids, and has long-term, sex-specific endocrine effects. However, it is unclear how maternal sucrose consumption specifically during pregnancy impacts the offspring development. Our study investigates how maternal sucrose intake during pregnancy affects steroids in the placenta and fetal brain. We hypothesize that maternal sucrose intake is a metabolic stressor that will alter steroid signalling in the placenta and the developing brain. We fed female Long-Evans rats either a high-sucrose diet (26% kcal sucrose) or an isocaloric, macro/micro-nutrient-matched control diet (1% kcal sucrose) starting embryonic day 0 (E0; the day of pregnancy confirmation) (n=15/group). On E19, we collected maternal serum, amniotic fluid, placenta, fetal blood, and fetal brain. We will microdissect the placenta (decidua and labyrinth/junctional zone) and fetal brain (prefrontal cortex, NAc, ventral tegmental area, hippocampus, and hypothalamus) and measure a panel of 15 steroids using highly specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Maternal sucrose intake did not alter maternal food intake, body weight, and litter size, but increased the percentage of male offspring. We are currently analyzing the steroid data. We predict that maternal sucrose intake during pregnancy will increase anti-inflammatory steroids (corticosterone, DHC, and aldosterone) in the maternal blood, amniotic fluid and fetal brain, and decrease androgens in the placenta. We will also measure steroidogenic enzymes in the placenta and fetal brain. Our findings will clarify how maternal sucrose intake impacts both the placenta and fetal development. Moreover, our results will examine whether sucrose exposure during pregnancy is the underlying mechanism for the endocrine effects observed in the fetal and adult offspring. This study will provide more insight into the relationship between nutrition, the nervous system, and the endocrine system.

Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023