Hilt Scope - Nutrition and Superfund Chemical Toxicity

The thrifty phenotype hypothesis states that malnourished pregnant mothers produce low birth weight (LBW) offspring that have a higher incidence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) during adulthood. It is well established that a variety of toxic insults during pregnancy, e.g., cigarette smoking, drug use, and alcohol abuse, can negatively impact maternal and fetal health. Studies have also shown that perinatal exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are associated with decreased birth weight in children. Unfortunately, the mechanisms responsible for this association are unknown. Preliminary data from our laboratory in a mouse model shows that maternal exposure to PCB 126, a coplanar PCB that acts through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), results in LBW offspring. The goal of the experiments for the scope account are to follow the long-term outcomes in offspring born to PCB exposed dams. Glucose and insulin tolerance as well as body composition will be measured as the offspring reach adulthood. Further experiments will investigate the mechanism of PCB-induced programming events.