The carotid bodies influence growth responses to moderate maternal undernutrition in late‐gestation fetal sheep

Dec 18, 2007BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

How oxygen-sensing organs affect growth in unborn sheep during moderate late pregnancy undernutrition

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Adrenal glands were larger in fetuses on a restricted diet compared to those on a control diet.

Fetuses with intact carotid sinus innervation showed differential organ growth during maternal nutrient restriction.
Sham fetuses on a restricted diet had larger adrenal glands than both sham fetuses on a control diet and denervated fetuses on a restricted diet.
In sham fetuses, fetal adrenal weight and the brain-to-liver weight ratio were positively related to changes in maternal weight during nutritional challenges.
Fetal liver weight in sham fetuses was negatively related to maternal weight change during nutritional challenges.
These findings indicate that the carotid bodies may play a role in regulating organ growth in response to maternal undernutrition.

AI simplified

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of carotid sinus innervation on differential fetal organ growth during maternal nutrient restriction in late pregnancy.

DESIGN: Randomised controlled study.

SETTING: University research facility.

SAMPLE: Thirty-nine Merino ewes.

METHODS: At 113 days gestational age (dGA), fetuses were bilaterally carotid sinus denervated or sham denervated. From 118 dGA, the surgery groups were subdivided into two dietary groups, and their ewes were fed 100% of nutrient requirements or 50% until tissue collection at 140 dGA. This provided four groups (sham/control diet, sham/restricted diet, denervated/control diet and denervated/restricted diet).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fetal organ weights and hormone levels and maternal weight change during the dietary restriction.

RESULTS: Adrenal glands were larger in sham/restricted diet fetuses than in sham/control diet or denervated/restricted diet fetuses (P < 0.05). Fetal adrenal weight and brain-to-liver weight ratio were positively related to maternal weight change during the nutritional challenge in sham fetuses only (P < 0.05). Fetal liver weight was negatively related to maternal weight change during nutritional challenge in sham fetuses only (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a reduction in liver growth but sparing of adrenal growth in response to moderate maternal undernutrition, which is dependent on intact carotid body innervation. This suggests a new role for the carotid bodies in the control of differential organ growth during such undernutrition.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text ↗

The carotid bodies influence growth responses to moderate maternal undernutrition in late‐gestation fetal sheep

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief