Does consumption of a high-fructose diet during pregnancy and lactation exacerbate the effects of maternal exposure to cadmium on development and metabolic function of mouse offspring?

Exposures to pollutants rarely occur in isolation, often coexisting with other environmental stressors such as diet and may be particularly insidious in early life. The aim of this study was to examine effects of maternal exposure to cadmium (Cd) and consumption of a high-fructose diet (HFrD) on development of mouse offspring. Female CD-1 mice were administered either 0.5 or 5 ppm Cd in drinking water with or without an approximate 60% fructose diet for 3 weeks prior to mating. Dams were maintained on the same treatment until postnatal day (PND) 16. Cadmium concentrations in maternal, fetal, and neonatal liver increased in a concentration-dependent manner irrespective of diet. Endpoints known to be associated with Cd or HFrD adverse effects were assessed longitudinally in offspring from birth to young adulthood, including growth trajectory, pubertal development, body composition, glycemic tolerance and hepatic lipid accumulation. Maternal exposure to either Cd or HFrD alone significantly advanced onset of puberty, hypoglycemia, and reduced adiposity in adulthood. HFrD rarely exacerbated metal-initiated effects in most of the endpoints examined outside of pubertal timing. Because of chronic effects attributed to Cd or HFrD on metabolic function (e.g. glucose tolerance), transcriptomics and gene methylation analyses were performed on livers from neonatal and adult offspring. Data were largely consistent with phenotypic findings. In summary, maternal exposure to Cd or HFrD alone perturbed growth and development, producing long-lasting changes in metabolic function in adult offspring. HFrD did not appear to significantly exaggerate adverse outcomes attributed to metal exposure in the endpoints examined.