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Horm Metab Res 2011; 43(6): 410-416
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1275285
Animals

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Maternal Flaxseed Diet During Lactation Programs Thyroid Hormones Metabolism and Action in the Male Adult Offspring in Rats

M. S. Figueiredo1 , E. G. de Moura1 , P. C. Lisboa1 , A. A. Troina1 , I. H. Trevenzoli1 , 2 , E. Oliveira1 , G. T. Boaventura3 , M. C. da Fonseca Passos1
  • 1Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 2Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 3Department of Experimental Nutrition, Federal Fluminense University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Further Information

Publication History

received 26.09.2010

accepted 24.02.2011

Publication Date:
29 March 2011 (online)

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Abstract

Flaxseed has several benefits for health such as improvement in lipid profile; and since thyroid hormones increases cholesterol biliary excretion, we decide to evaluate the programming effect of maternal flaxseed diet during lactation upon thyroid hormone metabolism and action in the adult offspring in rats. At birth, lactating rats were divided into: flaxseed dams (F) – diet with 25% of flaxseed – and controls dams (C). F and C pups received normal diet after weaning and male offspring were sacrificed at 21 and 180 days old. We evaluated serum T3, T4, and TSH; type 1 and 2 deiodinase activities (D1 and D2) in the liver, thyroid, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and pituitary; thyroid hormone receptor (TRβ1) expression and mitochondrial glycerophosphate-dehydrogenase activity (GPDm) in the liver. F offspring showed lower T3 levels at weaning (−30%, p<0.05) probably caused by lower liver D1 activity (−32%, p<0.05) and higher TSH levels (+84.6%, p<0.05) characterizing a profile of hypothyroidism. At 180 days old, F offspring had lower T4 and thyroid D1 and D2 activities (−28.3%, −18.5%, and −44.2%, respectively, p<0.05) and higher BAT D2 activity (+34.5%, p<0.05). We suggest that adult F animals present an inappropriate TSH action on the thyroid, since thyroid deiodinase was lower. Serum T3 was normal probably due to a higher BAT D2 activity and may reflect the tissue T3 concentration because liver D1, TRβ1, and GPDm were normal. Thus, maternal flaxseed diet during lactation may affect the thyroid hormones metabolism in a long-term.

Key words

flaxseed - lactation - programming - deiodinase - thyroid hormones

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Correspondence

Prof. E. G. de MouraPhD 

Departamento de Ciências

Fisiológicas – 5 ° andar

Instituto de Biologia

Universidade do Estado do

Rio de Janeiro

Av. 28 de setembro

87-Rio de Janeiro

RJ 20551-030

Brazil

Phone: +55/21/2587 6434

Fax: +55/21/2587 6129

Email: egbertomoura@globo.com