Analysis of fetal livers from male mice after protein-restricted diet in mothers. Mus musculus

Prenatal nutrition as influenced by nutritional status of the mother has been identified as a determinant of adult disease. Feeding low-protein diets during pregnancy in rodents is a well-established model to induce “programming” events in offspring. We hypothesized that protein restriction would influence fetal lipid metabolism by inducing epigenetic adaptations. Methodology/Principal Findings: Pregnant C57BL/6J OlaHsd mice were exposed to a protein restriction protocol (9% vs. 18% casein). Shortly before birth, dams and fetuses were sacrificed. To identify putative epigenetic changes, CpG island methylation microarrays were performed on DNA isolated from fetal livers. Overall design: 10 fetal livers: 5 mice from protein-restriction group (mice 1-5, labeled with Alexa 647) and 5 mice from control group (mice 6-10, labeled with Alexa 555). 5 arrays were used for the mice combinations 1/6, 2/7, 3/8, 4/9, 5/10. All arrays were run at the UHN Microarray Centre, Toronto.