130 - Metabolic Impact on Intrauterine Growth Restriction-Induced Intestinal Development Impairment in Neonatal Rats

Poster Number: 130
Publication Number: 130.354

Background: Uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI) is the most prevalent cause of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which is linked to impaired intestinal development and an increased risk for feeding intolerance, delayed postnatal growth, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: This study aimed to identify potential mechanisms affecting intestinal development in IUGR rats through metabolomic analysis of intestinal tissues.

Design/Methods: On gestational day 17, time-dated pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the IUGR or control group. The IUGR group underwent bilateral uterine vessel ligation, whereas the control group underwent a sham surgery. Rat pups were born naturally on gestational day 22, and a subset of two groups of pups were randomly selected to remove intestinal tissue for Western blot and metabolomic analysis on the postnatal days 0 and 7.

Results: On postnatal day 0, the IUGR pups had substantially lower body weights than the control pups. In addition, IUGR significantly decreased transketolase, ZO-1, and occludin levels (p < 0.05) in affected offspring. 12 metabolites displayed statistically significant differences between the two groups (q < 0.05). The analysis of metabolic pathway enrichment revealed significant intergroup differences in the pentose phosphate pathway, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and alanine, aspartate and glutamate, purine and pyrimidine metabolism.

Conclusion(s): UPI-induced IUGR causes alterations in the intestinal metabolism of neonatal rats, thereby compromising the integrity and barrier function of the intestine. These results may provide new insight into novel biomarkers and metabolic mechanisms underlying IUGR-induced intestinal changes.