Effect of maternal adrenal deprivation on the content of catecholamines in fetal brain.
Previous studies performed in our laboratory showed the importance of the effects that the absence of maternal adrenal hormones have on fetal brain. In the present study we investigated the effect of adrenal deprivation during gestation on the fetal catecholamines development in several cerebral areas. Fetuses from both control and adrenalectomized mothers from the first day of gestation were removed on the 20th embryonary day. Plasma corticosterone levels were significantly lower in the maternal serum of adrenalectomized rats, while the contents were non significantly higher in the adrenalectomized-mothers group of fetuses. Catecholamine contents in diencephalon, metencephalon, mesencephalon and telencephalon were measured by HPLC-ED. The results obtained showed that when the development of the catecholaminergic systems was previous enough to the fetal adrenal function, and under maternal adrenal deprivation conditions, the lack of corticosterone promotes an increase in the level of the catecholamines, as observed in the diencephalic NA, the earlier in maturational process. In those areas where the maturation starts at the same time than the fetal adrenal hypersecretion, no changes were observed. In the cortex, where both DA and NA develop later, the corticosterone produces an inhibition in the proliferation of the catecholaminergic neurons, showing decreased telencephalic levels of both catecholamines.
Leret
M L
ML
Departamento de Biología Animal II, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
González
M I
MI
Arahuetes
R M
RM
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000737:chemistry; D009929:Organ Size; D011149:Pons / Q000737:chemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000737:chemistry; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000097:blood
D002395:Catecholamines; D014443:Tyrosine; D003345:Corticosterone