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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269675
Title: In Utero exposure of soy protein diet inhibits atherosclerosis in F1 offsprings by promoting Th2 anti-inflammatory T cell responses

Author
item NAGARAJAN, SHANMUGAM - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item VICK, SARAH - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item BURRIS, RAMONA - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item WARDEN, JESSICA - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2011
Publication Date: 3/17/2011
Citation: Nagarajan, S., Vick, S., Burris, R., Warden, J. 2011. In Utero exposure of soy protein diet inhibits atherosclerosis in F1 offsprings by promoting Th2 anti-inflammatory T cell responses [abstract]. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference Journal. 25:990.18.

Interpretive Summary: Cardiovascular disease symptom shows later in life. But the disease is initiated very early during the fetus development. In our earlier study we showed feeding soy diet after birth prevents the progression of atherosclerosis. In this study we addressed whether soy consumption during conception prevents atherosclerosis in offspring using mouse model. We showed atherosclerotic lesions were significantly less in utero exposure of soy vs. control diet. In the future studies we will determine mechanism for the dietary prevention of atherosclerosis.

Technical Abstract: Maternal hypercholesterolemia has been implicated with a higher incidence and earlier onset of atherosclerotic lesions in neonatal offspring. We have reported that feeding soy protein isolate (SPI) diet starting at postnatal day (PND) 21 prevented the progression of atherosclerosis in the hyperlipidemic apoE KO mouse model. In this study we determined whether in utero exposure to SPI diet (maternal diet) inhibits development of cardiovascular disease in adult life. To investigate the in utero effect of SPI diet, apoE KO mice were fed casein (CAS) or SPI diets during mating and same diets were continued until the pups were at PND21. At PND21, all the animals were switched to CAS diet until PND140. Reduced atherosclerotic lesions were observed in aortic sinus in utero exposure of SPI-fed mice compared with CAS-fed mice. Plasma lipid profiles did not differ between the two groups, suggesting that alternative mechanism(s) could have contributed to the atheroprotective effect of gestational exposure of SPI diet. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses of CD4+ T lymphocytes showed reduced expression of Th1 cytokines. Moreover transcription factors regulating Th1 T cell in gestational exposure of SPI diet compared with the CAS-fed mice. Conversely, in utero exposure of SPI diet upregulated Th2 cytokines and transcription factors regulating Th2 T cell genesis. These findings suggest that epigenetic regulation of T cell may be contributing to the atheroprotective effect of soy diets.