Department of Human Nutrition and Hygiene, Poznań University of Life Sciences Wojska Polskiego 31, 60-624 Poznań.
Nutr Res. 2011 Jul;31(7):572-8. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2011.07.001.
The reactions of the methionine/homocysteine pathway are mediated by several enzymes, including phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, cystathionine β-synthase, and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase. Homocysteine homeostasis is regulated by these enzymes. We hypothesized here that the protein and folic acid content in the maternal diet affects methionine/homocysteine metabolism in the progeny. To test this hypothesis, pregnant rats were fed a diet with normal protein and normal folic acid levels (a modified casein-based AIN-93G diet), a protein-restricted and normal folic acid diet, a protein-restricted and folic acid-supplemented diet, or a normal protein and folic acid-supplemented diet. The progeny were fed either the modified AIN-93G diet or a high-fat lard-based diet. Progeny were analyzed for expression of the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, cystathionine β-synthase, and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase genes in the liver and for serum homocysteine concentration. Interactions between prenatal and postnatal nutrition were also determined. The progeny of the dams fed the diets supplemented with folic acid showed decreased expression of all 3 genes (P < .001). An interaction effect between the protein and folic acid content in the maternal diet contributed to this down-regulation (P < .001), and the postweaning diet modified these effects. Serum homocysteine concentrations were approximately 15% higher in the male rats (P < .01), but neither prenatal nutrition nor the postweaning diet affected it significantly. We conclude that maternal diet during gestation has an important effect on the transcription level of these 3 genes, but changes in gene expression were not associated with significant changes in progeny homocysteine concentrations.
蛋氨酸/同型半胱氨酸途径的反应由几种酶介导，包括磷酸乙醇胺 N-甲基转移酶、胱硫醚β-合酶和甜菜碱同型半胱氨酸甲基转移酶。同型半胱氨酸的稳态由这些酶调节。我们在这里假设母体饮食中的蛋白质和叶酸含量会影响后代的蛋氨酸/同型半胱氨酸代谢。为了验证这一假设，给怀孕的老鼠喂食蛋白质正常且叶酸水平正常的饮食（改良的基于酪蛋白的 AIN-93G 饮食）、蛋白质受限且叶酸正常的饮食、蛋白质受限且叶酸补充的饮食或蛋白质和叶酸正常补充的饮食。后代分别喂食改良的 AIN-93G 饮食或高脂肪猪油基饮食。分析后代肝脏中磷酸乙醇胺 N-甲基转移酶、胱硫醚β-合酶和甜菜碱同型半胱氨酸甲基转移酶基因的表达以及血清同型半胱氨酸浓度。还确定了产前和产后营养之间的相互作用。喂食叶酸补充饮食的母鼠的后代所有 3 个基因的表达均降低（P <.001）。母体饮食中蛋白质和叶酸含量的相互作用导致了这种下调（P <.001），而断奶后的饮食改变了这些影响。雄性大鼠的血清同型半胱氨酸浓度约高 15%（P <.01），但产前营养或断奶后的饮食均未显著影响。我们得出结论，妊娠期间母体饮食对这 3 个基因的转录水平有重要影响，但基因表达的变化与后代同型半胱氨酸浓度的显著变化无关。
