Fig. 3

Effects of maternal reduced uteroplacental perfusion (RUPP) on offspring blood glucose (A), insulin (B), glucagon (C) and ghrelin (D) on postnatal days 14 and 60 (PND14 and PND60). In the male offspring of the sham group, insulin levels were upregulated from PND14–PND60, but insulin levels of the male offspring of RUPP dams did not change. At PND14, only female pups in the sham group had higher glucagon levels than males, and RUPP pups exhibited lower glucagon levels than their sex-matched counterparts in the sham group. Over time glucagon levels of sham offspring (both sex) were decreased, while in RUPP rats (only males), circulatory glucagon was increased. At PND60, male offspring of the RUPP group had higher glucagon levels than females. At PND14, male pups (both groups) exhibited higher ghrelin levels than females, but at PND60, only male rats of the RUPP group had higher ghrelin than females. RUPP pups (both sexes) had lower ghrelin than their peers in the sham group at PND14, but only female rats in the RUPP group showed lower ghrelin levels than the sham group at PND60. Over time, ghrelin levels were unchanged in the sham group, but its levels were upregulated in RUPP pups (both sex). Results are expressed as mean ± SD. (n = 6). Tukey’s post hoc test: **p < 0.01;***p < 0.001; (a) main effect of time and (b) main effect of sex