Maternal Tobacco Smoke Exposure During Lactation Inhibits Catecholamine Production by Adrenal Medullae in Adult Rat Offspring

Abstract

Previously, we have shown that maternal smoke exposure during lactation, even when pups are not exposed, affects biochemical profiles in the offspring at weaning, eliciting lower body adiposity, hyperinsulinemia, hypocorticosteronemia and lower adrenal catecholamine content. However, the future impact of tobacco exposure is still unknown. As postnatal nicotine exposure causes short- and long-term effects on pups’ biochemistry and endocrine profiles, we have now evaluated some endocrine and metabolic parameters of the adult offspring whose mothers were tobacco exposed during lactation. For this, from day 3 to 21 of lactation, rat dams were divided in: 1) SE group, cigarette smoke-exposed (1.7 mg nicotine/cigarettes for 1 h, 4 times/day, daily), without their pups, and 2) C group, exposed to air, in the same conditions. Offspring were killed at 180-days-old. Body weight and food intake were evaluated. Blood, white adipose tissue, adrenal, and liver were collected. All significant data were p<0.05. The adult SE offspring showed no change in body weight, cumulative food intake, serum hormone profile, serum lipid profile, or triglycerides content in liver. However, in adrenal gland, adult SE offspring showed lower catecholamine content ( − 50%) and lower tyrosine hydroxylase protein expression ( − 56%). Despite the hormonal alterations during lactation, tobacco smoke exposure through breast milk only programmed the adrenal medullary function at adulthood and this dysfunction can have consequence on stress response. Thus, an environment free of smoke during lactation period is essential to improve health outcomes in adult offspring.

• References

• 1 de Moura EG, Lisboa PC, Passos MC. Neuroimmunomodulation 2008; 15: 176-188
• 2 Gluckmam PD, Hanson MA. J Intern Med 2007; 261: 461-471
• 3 von Kries R, Toschke AM, Koletzko B, Slikker W.. Am J Epidemiol 2001; 156: 954-961
• 4 Goldani MZ, Haeffner LSB, Agranonik M, Barbieri MA, Bettiol H, Silva AAM. Braz J Med Biol Res 2007; 40: 1231-1236
• 5 Durmus B, Kruithof CJ, Gilmar MH, Willensen SP, Hofman A, Raat H, Eilers PHC, Steegers EAP, Jaddoe VWV. Am J Clin Nutr 2011; 94: 164-171
• 6 Pinheiro CR, Oliveira E, Trevenzoli IH, Manhães AC, Santos-Silva AP, Younes-Rapozo V, Claudio-Neto S, Santana AC, Nascimento-Saba CC, Moura EG, Lisboa PC. Horm Metab Res 2011; 43: 1-9
• 7 Oliveira E, Pinheiro CR, Santos-Silva AP, Trevenzoli IH, Abreu-Villaça Y, Nogueira Neto JF, Reis AM, Passos MC, Moura EG, Lisboa PC. J Endocrinol 2010; 205: 159-170
• 8 Gao Y-J, Holloway AC, Zeng Z-H, Lim GE, Petrik JJ, Foster WG, Lee RMKW. Obes Res 2005; 13: 687-692
• 9 Oliveira E, Moura E, Santos-Silva A, Fagundes A, Rios A, Abreu-Villaca Y, Nogueira-Neto JF, Passos MCF, Lisboa PC. J Endocrinol 2009; 202: 397-405
• 10 Oliveira E, Moura E, Santos-Silva A, Pinheiro CR, Lima NS, Nogueira Neto JF, Nunes-Freitas AL, Abreu-Villaça Y, Passos MC, Lisboa PC. J Endocrinol 2010; 206: 55-63
• 11 Santos-Silva AP, Moura EG, Pinheiro CR, Rios AS, Abreu-Villaça Y, Passos MC, Oliveira E, Lisboa PC. Life Sci 2010; 287: 187-195
• 12 Santos-Silva AP, Oliveira E, Pinheiro CR, Nunes-Freitas AL, Abreu-Villaça Y, Santana AC, Nascimento-Saba CC, Nogueira-Neto JF, Reis AM, Moura EG, Lisboa PC. J Endocrinol 2011; 209: 75-84
• 13 Naguira D, Zunino E, Arqueros L, Viveros H. Eur J Pharmacol 1978; 47: 227-229
• 14 Hiremagalur B, Sabban EL. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1995; 32: 109-115
• 15 Trevenzoli IH, Pinheiro CR, Conceição EPS, Oliveira E, Passos MCF, Lisboa PC, Moura EG. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2010; 298: E941-E949