Maternal protein deficiency in rat: effects on central nervous system gangliosides and their catabolizing enzymes in the offspring.

Maternal protein deficiency imposed on rats a month prior to conception, and during gestation and lactation, resulted in a significant cell loss in cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord of pups at weaning. The cerebellum was the most affected central nervous system (CNS) region; it contained only 25% of the normal cell number. Undernourished pups were also found to have a lower concentration of total gangliosides in cerebrum as compared to that of controls. However, the total ganglioside concentration was unaffected in the cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord by maternal undernutrition. In all regions, undernutrition caused significant changes in the proportions of individual gangliosides; these alterations were region-specific. Sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase, and beta-hexosaminidase, which are involved in the catabolism of gangliosides, showed higher activities in all the regions of undernourished pups, suggesting that these enzymes may play a role in maintaining the porportions of various ganglioside fractions.