Food restriction in pregnant and lactating rats induces anemia and increases plasma lipid peroxidation in their progeny Hamadi Fetoui a , Amira Mahjoubi-Samet a , Kamel Jamoussi b , Fatma Ayadi b , Fériel Ellouze b , Najiba Zeghal a, ⁎ a Animal Physiology Laboratory, Sciences Faculty of Sfax, Sfax BP3018, Tunisia b Biochemistry Laboratory, CHU Habib Bourguiba, Sfax 3029, Tunisia Received 8 March 2007; revised 7 July 2007; accepted 12 September 2007 Abstract This study was designed to investigate the effects of food restriction in female rats during pregnancy and lactation periods on hematologic parameters in their progeny. Twelve pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a control (C) group with free access to a standard diet and a food-restricted group with alternating 24 hours of fasting and nonfasting from day 14 of pregnancy to day 14 of lactation. Food restriction reduced the number of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit values in mothers and their pups. In dams, plasma iron and folate levels were respectively reduced by 27% (P b .04) and 46% (P b .01) compared with the C group, whereas plasma copper and vitamin B 12 levels were unchanged. In pups, plasma iron, copper, and vitamin B 12 levels were decreased by 50%, 23%, and 16%, respectively, compared with those in the C group, whereas folate levels were unchanged. Blood glutathione levels were significantly decreased in mothers and pups compared with those in the C group. Erythrocyte osmotic fragility decreased, and plasma thiobarbituric acid–reactive substance (TBARS) levels increased only in pups. The results of the present study suggest that food restriction in rats provoked alterations in erythrocyte parameters in mothers, probably as a consequence of disturbance in the iron status. In pups, these changes might be pronounced by an increase in TBARS levels and erythrocyte osmotic fragility, which suggests involvement of lipid peroxidation, causing alteration of erythroid cells. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Food restriction; Erythrocyte osmotic fragility; Anemia; Lipid peroxidation; Glutathione level; Rat 1. Introduction Dietary deficiency during food restriction, has been linked to risks for the development of certain chronic diet- related diseases, especially non–insulin dependent diabetes and obesity [1,2], glucose intolerance [3,4], hypertension [5], renal failure [6], endocrine dysfunction [7], impaired skeletal growth [8], and induced anemia [9,10]. These effects could be mainly attributed to the participation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by dietary restriction, leading to oxidative stress [11]. The high oxygen tension in the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids and iron (a potent catalyst for free radical reactions) renders erythrocytes susceptible to both extracellular and intracellular sources of ROS. The ROS induce lipid peroxidation that can lead to malfunctioning of membranes by altering their fluidity and membrane-bound enzyme and receptor functions [12,13]. Glutathione, an antioxidant metabolite, plays a major role in maintaining the intracellular redox state and is involved in various cellular functions, including neutralization of free radicals generated by oxidative stress. Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Nutrition Research 27 (2007) 788 – 793 www.elsevier.com/locate/nutres ⁎ Corresponding author. Animal Physiology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Sfax, Tunisia. Tel.: +216 74 27 46 00; fax: +216 74 27 44 37. E-mail address: najiba.zeghal@tunet.tn (N. Zeghal). 0271-5317/$ – see front matter © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2007.09.013