Metabolic effects of early protein undernourishment and renourishment in wistar rats

Authors

  • Josemberg da Silva Baptista Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo
  • Marcelo Arthur Cavalli Universidade de Sao Paulo
  • Lucilene Ferreira Luiz Universidade de Sao Paulo
  • Diana de Oliveira Vono Universidade de Sao Paulo
  • Carlos Eduardo Seyfert Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
  • Sílvia de Campo Boldrini Universidade de Sao Paulo
  • Edson Aparecido Liberti Universidade de Sao Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v31n5a2015-26548

Keywords:

Undernourishment, refeeding, metabolism, nourishment, rats

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a important public health condition by affecting mostly children. The present study aimed to examine the effects of prenatal protein undernourishment and postnatal renourishment on the metabolism of pre-adult animals. Forty-five male Wistar rats originating from different litters were used. The Nourished (N, n=15) and Undernourished (U, n=30) groups were maintained on proteic and hypoproteic diets (20% and 5% casein, respectively) from the intrauterine phase until the end of the experiment. The Renourished group (R) contained 15 animals, randomly chosen from U group, that consumed the N diet beginning on day 21 (weaning). All groups were maintained until day 60. The experimental data was acquired daily for body weight, feed and water intake, feces and urine excretion. Data analysis was made with the total results and the ratio between them. The U group animals developed uniformly sparse hair late and experienced intense sweating, features that were not observed during the experiment in the R and N animals groups. The R group had the largest weight gain and feed and water intake ratio/weight at experimental period, followed by the N group animals. The final body weight and food intake decreased gradually in the order N-R-U, but none of the other parameters showed a statistical difference between the N and R animals. Compared to groups N and R, the U group animals consumed 90% and 81% more food and water, respectively. Protein undernourishment induced metabolic dysfunction in the U group animals. The similarity in the experimental parameters of the N and R groups suggests that an early feeding correction was effective in reestablishing the organic functions of the R group animals.

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Author Biographies

Josemberg da Silva Baptista, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo

PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Morphology, Health Science Center

Marcelo Arthur Cavalli, Universidade de Sao Paulo

MSc, Department of Surgery, Faculdade de Mediicna Veterinaria.

Lucilene Ferreira Luiz, Universidade de Sao Paulo

MSc, Department of Surgery, Faculdade de Mediicna Veterinaria.

Diana de Oliveira Vono, Universidade de Sao Paulo

MSc, Department of Surgery, Faculdade de Mediicna Veterinaria.

Carlos Eduardo Seyfert, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Morphology, Health Science Center

Sílvia de Campo Boldrini, Universidade de Sao Paulo

PhD, Associate Professor (in memoriam), Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Science.

Edson Aparecido Liberti, Universidade de Sao Paulo

PhD, Full Professor, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Science.

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Published

2015-09-10

How to Cite

BAPTISTA, J. da S., CAVALLI, M.A., LUIZ, L.F., VONO, D. de O., SEYFERT, C.E., BOLDRINI, S. de C. and LIBERTI, E.A., 2015. Metabolic effects of early protein undernourishment and renourishment in wistar rats . Bioscience Journal [online], vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 1561–1569. [Accessed8 December 2024]. DOI 10.14393/BJ-v31n5a2015-26548. Available from: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/26548.

Issue

Section

Biological Sciences