Low Birth Weight and Post-Natal Diet Induced Alterations in Skeletal Muscle Oxygen Consumption and Fiber Type Composition

Adverse in utero and postnatal conditions can increase susceptibility to metabolic syndrome (MS). Altered muscle respiration contributes to MS, but the effects of restricted oxygen and nutrients in utero on skeletal muscle mitochondria remain unknown. In this study guinea pig sows underwent uterine artery ablations mid-gestation, producing fetuses with low birth weight (LBW). Soleus muscle was collected near term or at four months of age, from LBW and control fetuses and offspring, where the offspring were fed either a Western Diet (WD) or a control diet (CD). Soleus muscles from LBW fetuses exhibit lower maximal respiration rates than normal birth weight (NBW) sham-surgery controls. Additionally, LBW/CD, NBW/WD and LBW/WD adult guinea pigs displayed reduced respiration compared with NBW/CD. Cultured C2C12 cells were utilized to better understand independent effects of hypoxia and fatty acid saturation upon cellular respiration. Both chronic (5 days) hypoxia and palmitate (16:0) reduced respiration compared with normoxia