Short- and long-term effects of maternal dyslipidaemia on blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity in male rat offspring.

Maternal dyslipidaemia is a predisposing factor for arterial hypertension in male rat offspring at adulthood. This study was designed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of maternal dyslipidaemia on blood pressure (BP) and baroreflex control in male rat offspring. Animals were obtained from mothers who received a dyslipidaemic (DLP, n = 7) or control (CTL, n = 7) diet during pregnancy and lactation. At 30 and 90 days of age, arterial pressure (AP), heart rate (HR) and baroreflex function were evaluated. In addition, spectral analysis of the systolic AP, diastolic AP, mean AP, HR, and spontaneous baroreflex were assessed. Data were expressed as mean ± SEM and Student's t-test was used for comparison among groups, with statistical significance considered to be P < .05. At 30 days of age, male offspring had similar BP, HR and preserved baroreflex sensitivity. In addition, low frequency (LF) oscillation, high frequency (HF) oscillation and LF/HF ratio of AP and HR were similar in juvenile rats. At 90 days of age, male offspring from dyslipidaemic dams had augmented BP (P < .05) when compared to CTL group. Adult male rats from dyslipidaemic dams had a reduction in baroreflex control (P < .05) in comparison to CTL rats. The present study indicates that offspring from dams fed on a dyslipidaemic diet during pregnancy and lactation do not show alteration in blood pressure and baroreflex control in early life, but display a decline in baroreflex control and hypertension in adulthood.