The progeny of rats born and breastfed by mothers receiving dexamethasone (DEX) during pregnancy exhibits permanent reduction in body weight and adiposity but the precise mechanisms related to this programming are not fully understood. In order to clarify this issue, the present study investigated key aspects of lipoprotein production and lipid metabolism by the liver and the intestine that would explain the reduced adiposity seen in the adult offspring exposed to DEX in utero. Female Wistar rats were treated with DEX (0.1 mg/kg/day) between the 15th and the 21st days of pregnancy, while control mothers were treated with vehicle. Male offspring born to control mothers were nursed by either adoptive control mothers (CTL/CTL) or DEX-treated mothers (CTL/DEX). Male offspring born to DEX-treated mothers were nursed by either control mothers (DEX/CTL) or adoptive DEX-treated mothers (DEX/DEX). We found that only the male DEX/DEX offspring had reduced adiposity. Additionally, male DEX/DEX progeny had lower circulating triacylglycerol (TAG) levels only in fed-state. The four groups of offspring presented similar energy expenditure, respiratory quotient and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) production. On the other hand, DEX/DEX rats displayed reduced TAG levels after gavage with olive oil and reduced expression of fatty acid translocase Cd36 (Fat/Cd36) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (Pparg) in the jejunum. Altogether, our study supports the notion that reduced fat absorption by the jejunum may contribute to the lower adiposity of the adult offspring born and breastfed by mothers treated with DEX during pregnancy.

由母亲在妊娠期间接受地塞米松（DEX）出生和哺乳的大鼠的后代表现出体重和脂肪的永久减少，但与该程序有关的确切机制尚不完全清楚。为了澄清这个问题，本研究调查了肝脏和肠道脂蛋白产生和脂质代谢的关键方面，这些方面可以解释在子宫内暴露于DEX的成年后代中脂肪减少的情况。。在怀孕的第15天至第21天之间，对雌性Wistar大鼠进行DEX（0.1 mg / kg /天）治疗，而对照母亲则接受媒介物治疗。由对照母亲（CTL / CTL）或接受DEX治疗的母亲（CTL / DEX）来为对照母亲所生的雄性后代进行护理。由接受DEX治疗的母亲所生的雄性后代由对照母亲（DEX / CTL）或由接受DEX治疗的母亲（DEX / DEX）进行护理。我们发现只有雄性DEX / DEX后代具有减少的肥胖。另外，雄性DEX / DEX子代仅在进食状态下具有较低的循环三酰甘油（TAG）水平。四组后代表现出相似的能量消耗，呼吸商和极低密度脂蛋白（VLDL）产生。另一方面，空肠中的脂肪/镉36和过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ（Pparg）。总而言之，我们的研究支持以下观点：空腹减少脂肪吸收可能有助于降低妊娠期接受DEX治疗的母亲所生和哺乳的成年后代的肥胖。