Growth restriction in the rat alters expression of metabolic genes during postnatal cardiac development in a sex-specific manner

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of uteroplacental insufficiency and growth restriction on the expression of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis, glucose transport, and antioxidant defenses in cardiac tissue at embryonic day 20 (E20) and postnatal days 1, 7, and 35 in male and female Wistar rats (8-10 per group). Bilateral uterine vessel ligation to induce growth restriction (Restricted) or sham surgery was performed at pregnancy day 18. In male and female Controls, expression of most cardiac genes decreased during postnatal life, including genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis regulation such as PGC-1a, NRF-2, and mtTFA and the glucose transporter GLUT-1 (P < 0.05). However, th..