Document Detail


Repeated ethanol exposure during late gestation decreases nephron endowment in fetal sheep.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18565833     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect fetal development, but little is known about the effects on the developing kidney. Our objectives were to determine the effects of repeated ethanol exposure during the latter half of gestation on glomerular (nephron) number and expression of key genes involved in renal development or function in the ovine fetal kidney. Pregnant ewes received daily intravenous infusion of ethanol (0.75 g/kg, n=5) or saline (control, n=5) over 1 h from 95 to 133 days of gestational age (DGA; term is approximately 147 DGA). Maternal and fetal arterial blood samples were taken before and after the start of the daily ethanol infusions for determination of blood ethanol concentration (BEC). Necropsy was performed at 134 DGA, and fetal kidneys were collected for determination of total glomerular number using the physical disector/fractionator technique; at this gestational age nephrogenesis is completed in sheep. Maximal maternal and fetal BECs of 0.12+/-0.01 g/dl (mean+/-SE) and 0.11+/-0.01 g/dl, respectively, were reached 1 h after starting maternal ethanol infusions. Ethanol exposure had no effect on fetal body weight, kidney weight, or the gene expression of members of the renin-angiotensin system, insulin-like growth factors, and sodium channels. However, fetal glomerular number was lower after ethanol exposure (377,585+/-8,325) than in controls (423,177+/-17,178, P<0.001). The data demonstrate that our regimen of fetal ethanol exposure during the latter half of gestation results in an 11% reduction in nephron endowment without affecting the overall growth of the kidney or fetus or the expression of key genes involved in renal development or function. A reduced nephron endowment of this magnitude could have important implications for the cardiovascular health of offspring during postnatal life.
Authors:
Stephen P Gray; Kelly Kenna; John F Bertram; Wendy E Hoy; Edwin B Yan; Alan D Bocking; James F Brien; David W Walker; Richard Harding; Karen M Moritz
Related Documents :
7054563 - Prevalence and incidence of benign asbestos pleural effusion in a working population.
1565393 - Elemental mercury exposure in early pregnancy.
6110583 - Total maternal urinary estrogen excretion and estrogen/creatinine ratio as placental fu...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2008-06-18
Journal Detail:
Title:  American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology     Volume:  295     ISSN:  0363-6119     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.     Publication Date:  2008 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-08-11     Completed Date:  2008-09-09     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  100901230     Medline TA:  Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  R568-74     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia. Stephen.gray@med.monash.edu.au
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Amniotic Fluid / drug effects,  metabolism
Animals
Body Weight / drug effects
Ethanol / administration & dosage,  blood,  toxicity*
Female
Fetal Blood / metabolism
Fetal Weight / drug effects
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
Gestational Age
Infusions, Intravenous
Kidney Glomerulus / drug effects,  embryology
Nephrons / drug effects*,  embryology,  metabolism
Organogenesis / genetics
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sheep
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/RNA, Messenger; 64-17-5/Ethanol

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  NEFA minimal model parameters estimated from the oral glucose tolerance test and the meal tolerance ...
Next Document:  Mild endotoxemia, NF-kappaB translocation, and cytokine increase during exertional heat stress in tr...