Effect of maternal under-nutrition on pup body weight and hypothalamic endocannabinoid levels
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS). 2003-02-01; 60(2): 382-389
DOI: 10.1007/s000180300031
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1. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2003 Feb;60(2):382-9. doi: 10.1007/s000180300031.
Effect of maternal under-nutrition on pup body weight and hypothalamic
endocannabinoid levels.
Matias I(1), Léonhardt M, Lesage J, De Petrocellis L, Dupouy JP, Vieau D, Di
Marzo V.
Author information:
(1)Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, 80078 Pozzuoli, Naples Italy.
Dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to influence brain
levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide in newborn pigs and mice. Furthermore,
endocannabinoids were shown to control pup suckling and body weight in mice, and
food intake in adult rodents. Here we determined the effect of maternal
under-nutrition during gestation, lactation, or both, on body weight, and on the
levels of endocannabinoids and expression of cannabinoid CB1 receptors and fatty
acid amide hydrolase in the hypothalamus of rat pups at weaning (21 days old) or
adult rats (4 months old). Maternal under-nutrition resulted in a striking
decrease in body weight of weaning rats, paralleled by a decrease in the
hypothalamic levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide, but not of
2-arachidonoylglycerol. No significant change in the hypothalamic expression of
either cannabinoid CB1 receptors or fatty acid amide hydrolase mRNA was detected
in any of the three groups of weaned pups. The decrease in pup body weight and
hypothalamic anandamide levels was not observable in 4-month-old rats from any
of the three groups. These data suggest that maternal under-nutrition causes a
decrease in hypothalamic anandamide levels and loss of body weight, and confirm
a crucial role for endocannabinoid signalling in neonatal development.
DOI: 10.1007/s000180300031
PMID: 12678501 [Indexed for MEDLINE]