Effects of maternal dietary protein on the mandibular growth of fetuses from diabetic dams.

The effects of maternal diabetes on the mandibles in the fetuses of dams given a normal (20% protein) diet vs those given a high protein (40% protein) diet were studied. On day 9, the controls, groups 1 and 3, were injected with citrate buffer and fed a 20% and 40% protein diet, respectively. Groups 2 and 4 were injected with 40 mg/kg B.W. of streptozotocin and pair-fed with groups 1 and 3 with a 20% and 40% protein diet, respectively. On day 22, fetuses were removed. Dissected mandibles were weighed and analyzed for DNA, protein, Ca and hydroxyproline contents. Some dams in each group were injected with either 45Ca or 14C proline to study 45Ca uptake and collagen synthesis. The body and mandibular weights of the fetuses from diabetic (D) dams were smaller than those of the non-diabetic (ND) group in both diets. The protein and hydroxyproline contents of the mandible in the D 20% group was less than the ND. Hydroxyproline content from the D 40% group was less than the ND. The Ca content in the D 40% group was less than the ND. The present study indicates that metabolism in the bone of fetuses whose D dams were fed a high protein diet is affected beneficially in some parameters but not in others.