The Beneficial Effects of Prenatal Biotin Supplementation in a Rat Model of Intrauterine Caloric Restriction to Prevent Cardiometabolic Risk in Adult Female Offspring

Abstract

Numerous studies indicate that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can predispose individuals to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adulthood. Several reports have demonstrated that pharmacological concentrations of biotin have therapeutic effects on MetS. The present study investigated the beneficial effects of prenatal biotin supplementation in a rat model of intrauterine caloric restriction to prevent cardiometabolic risk in adult female offspring fed fructose after weaning. Female rats were exposed to a control (C) diet or global caloric restriction (20%) (GCR), with biotin (GCRB) supplementation (2 mg/kg) during pregnancy. Female offspring were exposed to 20% fructose (F) in drinking water for 16 weeks after weaning (C, C/F, GCR/F, and GCRB/F). The study assessed various metabolic parameters including Lee’s index, body weight, feed conversion ratio, caloric intake, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, lipid profile, hepatic triglycerides, blood pressure, and arterial vasoconstriction. Results showed that GCR and GCRB dams had reduced weights compared to C dams. Offspring of GCRB/F and GCR/F dams had lower body weight and Lee’s index than C/F offspring. Maternal biotin supplementation in the GCRB/F group significantly mitigated the adverse effects of fructose intake, including hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hepatic steatosis, glucose and insulin resistance, hypertension, and arterial hyperresponsiveness. This study concludes that prenatal biotin supplementation can protect against cardiometabolic risk in adult female offspring exposed to postnatal fructose, highlighting its potential therapeutic benefits.