Adiponectin Enhances Mouse Fetal Fat Deposition

Maternal obesity increases offspring birth weight and susceptibility to obesity. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone with a prominent function in maintaining energy homeostasis. In contrast to adults, neonatal blood adiponectin levels are positively correlated with anthropometric parameters of adiposity. This study was designed to investigate the role of adiponectin in maternal obesity-enhanced fetal fat deposition. By using high-fat diet–induced obese mouse models, our study showed that maternal obesity increased fetal fat tissue mass, with a significant elevation in fetal blood adiponectin. However, adiponectin gene knockout (Adipoq2/2) attenuated maternal obesity-induced high fetal fat tissue mass. We further studied the effects of fetal adiponectin on fetal fat deposi-tion by using a cross breeding approach to create Adipoq2/+ and Adipoq2/2 offspring, whereas maternal adiponectin was null. Adipoq2/+ offspring had more fat tissue mass at both birth an