MATERNAL STRESS AND OFFSPRING PANCREATIC PROGRAMMING: MORPHOLOGICAL, METABOLIC, AND IMMUNOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS

Maternal stress casts a shadow over offspring development, subtly reprogramming the pancreas—a guardian of metabolic health. This study, conducted in Uzbekistan, investigates how prenatal stress shapes pancreatic morphology, glucose metabolism, and immune responses in rat offspring, seeking clues to metabolic programming. Pregnant Wistar rats underwent chronic stress, with offspring assessed via histology, metabolic tests, and cytokine profiling. Findings revealed reduced beta-cell mass, impaired insulin release, and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines, yet adaptive immune markers suggested partial resilience. In Uzbekistan’s youthful population (62% under 30), these insights highlight prenatal stress as a diabetes risk factor, urging global strategies for stress mitigation to protect future generations.