Intrauterine malnutrition in the rat: alterations of fetal glycerol metabolism.

This investigation intended to clarify the effects of malnutrition in utero on enzymes of glycerol metabolism and the stores of phosphorylated glycerol intermediates in liver, striated muscle, and brain in the rat. Pregnant Wistar rats were restricted to an intake of 50% (M) of ad libitum fed controls (C) from the seventh day of gestation onward. Fetuses were removed 2 days (-2), or 1 day (-1), before term, or at the day of birth (DOB) The M fetuses and newborn rats were stunted. Their hepatic alpha-glycerophosphate oxidase (GPO) levels were lower than those of C in utero (mean +/- SEM: M = 23.1 +/- 1.5, 15.8 +/- 1.1, and 31.6 +/- 4.5; C = 34.8 +/- 4.9, 39.8 +/- 7.0, and 23.6 +/- 5.0 nmol/min X cm at -2, -1, and DOB, respectively; F = 7.29 [1,57], P less than .01). In muscle, this enzyme, as well as liver and brain alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD), alpha-glycerophosphate (GP), and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), only varied with the developmental stage. Although the latter was a significant differential factor in all the determinations, maternal diet only affected brain DHAP stores (M = 1.85 +/- 0.36, 1.03 +/- 0.16, 0.74 +/- 0.10; C = 2.33 +/- 0.46, 1.87 +/- 0.21, 1.13 +/- 0.18 mumol/g at -2, -1, and DOB, respectively; F = 9.03 [1,53], P less than .01). These findings support the contention that intrauterine malnutrition can alter normal ontogenesis of glycerol metabolism enzymes in certain organs and become a negative factor disturbing normal gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, with potential disruption of energy homeostasis immediately after birth.