Maternal low protein diet induces persistent expression changes in metabolic genes in male rats

Figure 7 Expression of key transcription factors in the liver of rats. Rats were exposed to maternal low protein diet during gestation and lactation, and gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha coactivator 1 alpha, forkhead box protein O1 and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Data are shown as mean ± standard error means and analyzed by two-way ANOVA with the mother’s diet (normal protein; low protein) and age (30 d, 90 d) as variable factors. Bonferroni’s post hoc test was used. Differences between diet groups are indicated by asterisks; differences between ages are indicated by bars. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01. NP: Normal protein; LP: Low protein; PGC-1α: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha coactivator 1 alpha; FOXO1a: Forkhead box protein O1; HNF4: Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4.