ω-3 PUFAs Ameliorated the Maternal High-Fructose Diet-Induced Early-Onset Retinopathy in Offspring via Inhibiting NLRP3-Associated Neuroinflammation

Scope

Maternal high fructose diet (HFD) during pregnancy and lactation can initiate retinal dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown.

Methods and results

By using the rodent model of maternal HFD in this study, the results from electroretinography (ERG) indicate that b-wave amplitude, an index of inner retinal function, is significantly reduced as early as 3 months old and the deteriorated effect can be detected at 15 months old. Further, the protein expressions of CD11b (a marker of active microglia), p40^phox subunit of NADPH oxidase, GFAP (a marker of active astrocytes), and NLPR3 examined by western blot and immunofluorescence are significantly increased in the retina of the male HFD offspring at 3 months old. Treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) for 2 weeks (from 2.5 to 3 months old) effectively reverses the aforementioned changes.

Conclusion

Together, these results indicate that the early onset and extensive retinal dysfunction may be a result of glial activation which is induced by maternal HFD to initiate an inflammatory microenvironment leading to a long-term progression of retinopathy. Short-term administration of ω-3 PUFA at a young age may be a feasible strategy to intervene in the maternal HFD-programmed retinal impairment in male offspring.