Nutrition
Volume 22, Issue 3 , Pages 327-331, March 2006

Preconceptional fasting of fathers alters serum glucose in offspring of mice

  • Lucy M. Anderson, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Comparative Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +301-846-5600; fax: +301-846-5946.
    • ,
  • Lisa Riffle, B.S.

      Affiliations

    • SAIC-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
    • ,
  • Ralph Wilson, B.S., M.T.

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
    • ,
  • Gregory S. Travlos, D.V.M.

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
    • ,
  • Mariusz S. Lubomirski, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Data Management, Inc., Frederick, Maryland, USA
    • ,
  • W. Gregory Alvord, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Data Management, Inc., Frederick, Maryland, USA

Received 28 April 2005; accepted 30 September 2005.

Abstract 

Objective

Maternal nutrition has long-term effects on offspring characteristics. Similar effects mediated through fathers have not been tested.

Methods

Outbred Swiss male mice were fasted one or six times 1 to 4 wk before mating. Offspring were killed at age intervals of 4 to 10 wk and their sera were analyzed for glucose, corticosterone, and insulin-like growth factor-1. Statistical linear mixed effects models were used to determine treatment (paternal diet restriction versus control) differences and possible effects of covariates, including sex, litter membership, and litter size.

Results

Paternal food deprivation resulted in a consistent decrease in average serum glucose in male and female offspring. Significant changes in corticosterone and insulin-like growth factor-1 were found for some groups. The results indicated a male-mediated transgenerational effect on metabolism- and growth-related parameters, in particular glucose.

Conclusions

Effects of paternal nutritional experiences on offspring metabolism, if confirmed, would be novel and could have far-reaching implications in the context of transgenerational effects on chronic diseases.

Keywords:  Paternal fasting , Offspring , Glucose , Corticosterone , Insulin-like growth factor-1

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PII: S0899-9007(05)00309-6

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2005.09.006

Nutrition
Volume 22, Issue 3 , Pages 327-331, March 2006

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