title: The effect of alpha 1-blocking vasodilator on fetal growth and uteroplacental blood flow in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: For largely unknown reasons, severe diabetes mellitus in pregnant rats results in fetal growth retardation. In order to clarify the mechanism of this phenomenon, the relationship between the fetal growth and the uteroplacental blood flow, and the fetal serum insulin and IGF-1 concentrations were studied in streptozotocine-induced diabetic and control pregnant rats. As compared to control rats, diabetic rats had significantly reduced uteroplacental blood flow, and the mean body weight of the fetuses was significantly lower. Treatment of diabetic rats with an alpha1-blocking vasodilator, urapidil, restored uteroplacental blood flow and fetal body weight without affecting hyperglycemia. There was no significant difference between diabetic and normal rats with respect to insulin and IGF-1 concentrations in fetal plasma, although the mean value was slightly lower in the diabetic. We conclude that reduced uteroplacental blood flow is a major factor in the establishment of fetal growth retardation in diabetic pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takenaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toyoda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D010879:Piperazines; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C015568:urapidil