Curcumin intake during lactation suppresses oxidative stress through upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 in the kidneys of fructose‐loaded female rat offspring exposed to maternal protein restriction

Abstract Background A high‐fructose diet causes the progression of chronic kidney disease. Maternal malnutrition during pregnancy and lactation increases oxidative stress, leading to chronic renal diseases later in life. We investigated whether curcumin intake during lactation could suppress oxidative stress and regulate NF‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression in the kidneys of fructose‐loaded female rat offspring exposed to maternal protein restriction. Methods Pregnant Wistar rats received diets containing 20% (NP) or 8% (LP) casein and 0 or 2.5 g “highly absorptive curcumin” /kg diet containing‐LP diets (LP/LP or LP/Cur) during lactation. At weaning, female offspring received either distilled water (W) or 10% fructose solution (Fr) and were divided into four groups: NP/NP/W, LP/LP/W, LP/LP/Fr, and LP/Cur/Fr. At week 13, glucose (Glc), triacylglycerol (Tg), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the plasma, macrophages number, fibrotic area, glutathione (GSH) levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, protein expression levels of Nrf2, heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1), and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in the kidneys were examined. Results The plasma levels of Glc, TG, and MDA, the number of macrophages, and the percentage of fibrotic area in the kidneys of the LP/Cur/Fr group were significantly lower than those of the LP/LP/Fr group. The expression of Nrf2 and its downstream molecules HO‐1 and SOD1, GSH levels, and GPx activity in the kidneys of the LP/Cur/Fr group were significantly higher than those of the LP/LP/Fr group. Conclusions Maternal curcumin intake during lactation may suppress oxidative stress by upregulating Nrf2 expression in the kidneys of fructose‐loaded female offspring exposed to maternal protein restriction.