Fetal digoxin treatment enhances the binding capacity of thymic glucocorticoid receptors in adult female rats.
1. Hormonal imprinting is provoked in the perinatal critical period in the presence of the appropriate hormone or molecules similar to it. As a consequence of hormonal imprinting, the developing receptor finishes its maturation normally (in the presence of the adequate hormone) or abnormally (under the effect of foreign molecules that are able to bind to the receptor). 2. Digoxin--which has a steroid character--caused faulty imprinting by treatments at the 15th, 17th and 20th days of pregnancy. In the adult (3-month-old) animals, the density of thymic glucocorticoid receptors was significantly elevated, whereas the density of uterine estrogen receptors was not, without any change in receptor affinity. 3. The experiments call attention to the steroid receptor imprinting effect of fetal digoxin treatment that must be considered in regard to this treatment at this period and later in regard steroid treatments.
Csaba
G
G
Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
Inczefi-Gonda
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004077:Digoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D004077:Digoxin