Abstract
To investigate the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6)/β-catenin pathway related proteins in adipose tissue of rats with intrauterine growth restriction with catch-up growth SD rats were randomly divided into nutrition-restriction rats and normal feed rats during pregnancy. CG-IUGR model was established by reducing the number of offspring in the nutrition-restriction rats (CG-IUGR group); while the rats in the control group were offspring of the normal feed pregnant rats. In order to exclude the interference of gender, male offspring mice were selected in both the CG-IUGR group and the control group in the following studies. The CG-IUGR group and the control group were subjected to glucose tolerance test at 12 weeks of age, and the perirenal adipose tissue samples were taken to observe the adipose structure by HE staining. Expression of LRP6, β-catenin and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) in adipocytes were examined by confocal microscopy. Protein expression of LRP6, β-catenin and IRS-1 were measured by Western blotting. Blood glucose level and the area under the cure of CG-IUGR group were significantly higher than that of control group (both <0.05). Adipocyte size in the CG-IUGR group was significantly larger than that of control group, and the expression of LRP6, β-catenin and IRS-1 protein in adipose tissue of the CG-IUGR group was significantly lower than that of control group (all <0.05). : The expression of LRP6/β-catenin pathway related proteins is reduced in the adipose tissue in CG-IUGR rats, probably contributing to the insulin resistance in these rats.