Maternal Oxidized Soybean Oil Administration in Rats during Pregnancy and Lactation Alters the Intestinal DNA Methylation in Offspring

As a food contaminant, oxidized oil or lipid oxidative products have been proven to exert toxicological effects on thegrowth and development of animals and humans. Research shows that maternal oxidative stress damage might transmit to anothergeneration by epigenetic modulation. However, current evidence is still not clear on the mechanism of the effects of dietary oxidizedoil during pregnancy on the two generations. This study employed a rat model fed with oxidized soybean oil (OSO) duringpregnancy and lactation to explore the effects of the oxidative degree (0, 200, 400, and 800 mequiv of O2/kg) on the placental RNAmethylation and DNA methylation in offspring jejunum. The results showed that following the ingestion of OSO, the placental genesof different m6A methylation were significantly enriched to nutrient metabolic processes and hormone activity. In addition, theintestine in offspring hypofunctioned observably, such as reducing the height of villi and the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine.Furthermore, maternal intake of OSO during pregnancy can damage the intestinal barrier function of offspring by inhibiting theproliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells and reducing the activity of intestinal DNA methyltransferase. Inconclusion, this study reinforces the assertion that maternal OSO consumption during gestation and lactation negatively affects theplacental health and intestinal development of suckling pups.