Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

Nutritional programming of blood pressure and renal morphology

Langley-Evans, S. C., Langley-Evans, A. J. and Marchand, M. C. (2003) Nutritional programming of blood pressure and renal morphology. Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry. 111(1), pp. 8-16. 1381-3455.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: A range of epidemiological evidence from several diverse populations, supports the hypothesis that risk of essential hypertension, coronary heart disease and non-insulin dependent diabetes is, in part, programmed by intrauterine nutritional status. Animal models developed to investigate the mechanisms that are responsible for such programming are becoming more important as challenges to the epidemiological data become more robust. With strong evidence from animal studies it is now widely accepted that maternal nutritional status in pregnancy is a major programming influence upon the fetus. This paper considers the hypothesis that renal structure and function are determined by prenatal nutrition and that this is a key mechanism in the programming of hypertension. The feeding of low protein diets or other insults in pregnancy that have an impact upon the development of cardiovascular functions, also appears to impact upon nephron number. In the sheep nephron number is related to weight at birth following nutrient restriction, and in the rat low protein diets reduce nephron number by approximately 30%. However, it is possible that hypertension and reduced renal reserve merely coincide and are not causally associated. A study of rats fed low protein diets supplemented with additional nitrogen sources found that whilst only glycine could reverse the hypertensive effects of low protein diets, all supplements could normalise nephron number. The evidence thus suggests that prenatal undernutrition may programme renal structure in later life, but that renal programming is not one of the primary mechanisms leading to hypertension
Subjects: R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics > RG551 Pregnancy
R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC666 Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system > RC685 Hypertension
Creators: Langley-Evans, Simon C, Langley-Evans, A J and Marchand, Michael C
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Health & Society > Sports, Exercise & Life Sciences
Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Sports, Exercise & Life Sciences
Date: 1 February 2003
Date Type: Publication
Page Range: pp. 8-16
Journal or Publication Title: Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry
Volume: 111
Number: 1
Language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1076/apab.111.1.8.15136
ISSN: 1381-3455
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/9

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item