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Abstract #2629

An Animal Model for the Study of Developmental Origins of Adult Disease Associated to Dietary Fetal Fatty Acids: MRI Assessment

Kenneth Hollander1, Catherine Tempel-Brami2, Fred M. Konikoff1, Menahem Fainaru3, Alicia Leikin-Frenkel1

1Minerva Center for Lipid Metabolism in the Liver, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel; 2Alfredo Federico Strauss Center for Computational Neuro-Imaging, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; 3Department of Physiology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel


The mammalian fetus is completely dependent on the fatty acids supplied by its mother inside the uterus. In the present study we analyzed the impact of fatty acids in pregnant mother's isocaloric diet on obesity and insulin resistance in adult offspring (DOAD). Body fat in pregnant mothers and offspring was measured by MRI and correlated with tissues fat and insulin resistance in adult offspring. Essential Fatty Acids prevented adult offspring obesity and insulin resistance whereas saturated fatty acids promoted it. MRI measured body fat correlated with HOMA index, tissues lipid content and SCD activity in white adipose tissue.

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