Identifier

etd-10272010-122323

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Ecology

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

Treatment for maternal hyperglycemia is limited on account of safety concerns for fetus. Our previous work has shown that inclusion of resistant starch in the diet decreases body fat accumulation in rodents, increases GLP-1 at both the gene expression level and plasma levels, and improves glucose tolerance in STZ-induced diabetic mice. However, studies concerning dietary resistant starch and maternal hyperglycemia are scarce. In this project, we examined the effects of dietary resistant starch in pregnant Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats to improve glycemic control. Animal experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses. In study 1, the female GK rats were randomly grouped to receive an energy control diet or resistant starch diet. The aged matched female Wistar rats were fed with energy control diet, serving as glycemia control. After 10 weeks on assigned diet, all the female rats were mated with male Wistar rats and became pregnant. Fasting glucose concentration and fasting insulin concentration were measured on 16th gestation day. In study 2, the offspring from different dams were fed on chow diet until they reached 8 weeks old. At the end of studies, body fat, food intake, and glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-1), pancreatic insulin content, cecum pH, cecal short chain fatty acids levels, cecal butyrate producing bacterial profiles and ß cell mass were measured. Resistant starch fed GK rats had decreased body fat, improved insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), increased cecal short chain fatty acids and butyrate producing bacterial levels, and elevated plasma GLP-1. Also, GK rats on RS diet showed higher beta cell mass compared with EC fed GK rats. Body weight and food intake were not changed by resistant starch. Offspring born to RS fed dams had lower fasting blood glucose and increased pancreatic insulin content. The feeding of RS to pregnant GK rats did not show negative impacts on pup’s growth and fetus survival rate. The conclusions are that dietary resistant starch was able to improve maternal hyperglycemia control in pregnant GK rats and decreased fasting glucose of their offspring without negative influences on growth and fetus survival rate.

Date

2010

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Student has submitted appropriate documentation to restrict access to LSU for 365 days after which the document will be released for worldwide access.

Committee Chair

Martin, Roy J.

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.1476

Included in

Human Ecology Commons

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