Mechanical-tactile stimulation (MTS) during neonatal stress prevents hyperinsulinemia despite stress-induced adiposity in weanling rat pups

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 87; no. 3; pp. 159 - 163
• Main Authors: Moyer-Mileur, Laurie J, Haley, Shannon, Gulliver, Kristina, Thomson, Anne, Slater, Hillarie, Barrett, Brett, Joss-Moore, Lisa A, Callaway, Christopher, McKnight, Robert A, Moore, Barry, Lane, Robert H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.03.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adiponectin - blood; Advanced Basic Science; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - analysis; Body composition; Body Composition - physiology; Body Weight - physiology; Corticosterone - blood; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hyperinsulinemia; Hyperinsulinism - metabolism; Hyperinsulinism - prevention & control; Intra-Abdominal Fat - metabolism; Leptin - blood; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mechanical-tactile stimulation; Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Stress, Physiological - physiology; Subcutaneous adipose tissue; Touch - physiology; Visceral adipose tissue; Hyperinsulinemia; FM; fat mass (g); SAT; VAT; subcutaneous adipose tissue; MTS; mechanical-tactile stimulation; Body composition; visceral adipose tissue; Mechanical-tactile stimulation; Visceral adipose tissue; Subcutaneous adipose tissue; Endocrinopathy; Human; Neonatal; Adipose tissue; Rat; Rodentia; Stimulation; Stress; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Adiposity
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2010.12.001

Abstract Stress in early life negatively influences growth quality through perturbations in body composition including increased fat mass. At term (40 weeks) preterm infants have greater fat mass and abdominal visceral adipose tissue than term-born infants. Mechanical-tactile stimulation (MTS) attenuates the stress response in preterm infants and rodents. We tested the hypothesis that MTS, administered during an established model of neonatal stress, would decrease stress-driven adiposity and prevent associated metabolic imbalances in rat pups. Pups received one of three treatments from postnatal days 5 to P9: Neonatal Stress (Stress; n = 20) = painful stimulus and hypoxic/hyperoxic challenge during 60 min of maternal separation; MTS (n = 20) = neonatal stress + 10 min of MTS; or Control (n = 20). Body weight, DXA whole body fat mass (g), MRI subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, and fasting adiponectin, leptin, glucose, insulin, and corticosterone were measured at weaning (P21). Stress and MTS weight gain (g/d) were accelerated following neonatal stress with greater fat mass, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, serum adiponectin, leptin, and fasting glucose at weaning (P21). Male Stress and MTS pups had greater visceral adipose tissue depot. Male and female Stress pups were hyperinsulinemic. In summary, neonatal stress compromised body composition by increasing fat mass and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue depot, and in males, visceral adipose tissue depot. Importantly, MTS prevented hyperinsulinemia despite of stress-induced adiposity. We conclude that MTS during neonatal stress has the potential to minimize metabolic consequences associated with stress-driven perturbations in fat mass and abdominal adipose depots.