It is estimated that the obese population in some developed countries could reach 50% by 2030, which will not only affect the health of obese people but could also have serious consequences for future generations. Recently, scientists at the University of Geneva conducted animal experiments to study the impact of obesity in pregnancy on the risk of liver cancer in offspring, finding that the offspring of obese female mice have a significantly increased risk of contracting the disease . The findings were published in the open online journal “JHEP Reports” of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
Obese mothers have metabolic and endocrine disorders that can alter fetal metabolism and even impact postnatal health. But what is the exact impact? The academic community is still unclear. Christian Toso, professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva, explained: “We want to know whether the children of obese mothers are at greater risk of developing liver disease? Through what biological mechanisms?”
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The female rats in the experimental group were fed a diet high in fat and sugar (similar to junk food) and quickly became fat; the control group was fed normally. The pups of both groups of pregnant female mice ate a normal diet and had a normal weight, the only difference being whether the mother was obese.
Lead author Beat Moeckli, surgeon and researcher, said: “At 20 weeks after birth in the mice, which is equivalent to human adulthood, no obvious abnormalities were detected; however, by 40 weeks, which is the advanced age of mice, the livers of the experimental group of mice began to deteriorate.” The hepatic index, including fatty liver, hepatic fibrosis, and inflammation, were all significantly increased.
The impact of maternal obesity on offspring lasts long after birth
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Since these indices are important risk factors for human liver cancer, the team further confirmed whether mice are more susceptible to liver cancer. In another experiment, researchers injected mice with liver cancer-inducing carcinogens immediately after weaning and found that offspring of obese mothers had a significantly greater risk of developing cancer—up to four times greater than the control.
Moeckli explained: “The results show that the effects of maternal obesity on offspring are long-lasting, most likely through microorganisms.” Obese mothers pass unhealthy gut bacteria to their offspring. The team also observed that when two groups of mice were kept in the same cage, they soon shared microbial strains, bacterial diversity increased, and eventually the healthy microbiota took over again. The liver index of the mice also decreased and approached normal.
But does a similar phenomenon also occur in humans? Animal experiments are conducted in well-controlled environments and may not reflect actual conditions. The team needs to confirm this in humans and will conduct follow-up research to analyze a large amount of health data from decades of investigations of women and children to find more convincing evidence.
(First image source: shutterstock)
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