Diabetes, Vol 35, Issue 9 979-984, Copyright © 1986 by American Diabetes Association
Impaired glucose homeostasis in adult rats from hyperglycemic mothers
MT Bihoreau, A Ktorza, MF Kinebanyan and L Picon
The purpose of our study was to investigate whether nondiabetic gestational
hyperglycemia during fetal life could have additional effects on glucose
homeostasis and insulin secretion in the adult rat. Hyperglycemia without
the main other metabolic disorders and vascular injuries associated with
diabetes was produced in unrestrained pregnant rats by continuous glucose
infusion during the last week of pregnancy. Control rats were infused with
distilled water. Compared with controls, the newborns from hyperglycemic
rats were hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic. When studied longitudinally
up to 3 mo, they showed slightly but significantly increased basal plasma
glucose levels and normal basal insulin concentrations compared with
controls. Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in response to a glucose
load (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) were altered: Plasma glucose values were more
increased at 5 min and remained higher 90 min after glucose injection;
incremental plasma insulin values and the insulinogenic indexes (delta
IRI/delta G) were always lower in rats from hyperglycemic mothers than in
controls. These alterations were more and more marked with advancing age
(1-3 mo). These data show that gestational hyperglycemia may lead to
persistent impairment of glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion in the
adult rat.