title: Impact of restriction of placental and fetal growth on expression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and type 2 messenger ribonucleic acid in the liver, kidney, and adrenal of the sheep fetus.
abstract: We have investigated the effects of fetal growth restriction, induced by restriction of placental growth and function (PR), on 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11betaHSD-1) and 11betaHSD-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in fetal tissues in the sheep, using Northern blot analysis. Fetal liver, kidney, and adrenals were collected from normally grown fetuses at 90 days (n = 6), 125 days (n = 6), and 141-145 days (n = 7) and from PR fetuses at 141-145 days (n = 6). Expression of 11betaHSD-1 mRNA in the fetal liver increased significantly between 125 days (7.4+/-0.8) and 141-145 days gestation (27+/-5.3). There was also an approximately 2-fold increase in the ratio of 11betaHSD-1 mRNA/18S rRNA expression in the PR group (53.8+/-7.9) compared with that in control animals at 141-145 days gestation. There was a significant decrease in 11betaHSD-2 mRNA in fetal adrenals between 125 days (41.6+/-2.4) and 141-145 days (26.7+/-1.1) gestation, but there was no effect of PR on the expression of adrenal 11betaHSD-2 mRNA. 11betaHSD-2 mRNA expression in the fetal kidney increased between 90 days (16.8+/-1.7) and 141-145 days gestation (31.7+/-4.3), but there was no effect of PR on the levels of 11betaHSD-2 mRNA in the fetal kidney. In summary, 11betaHSD-2 mRNA is differentially regulated in the fetal adrenal and kidney in the sheep fetus during late gestation. There is also a specific increase in the expression of 11betaHSD-1 mRNA in the liver of growth-restricted fetuses in late gestation. This suggests that there is increased hepatic exposure to cortisol in the growth-restricted fetus, which may be important in the reprogramming of hepatic physiology that occurs after growth restriction in utero.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. caroline.mcmillen@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: McMillen
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Warnes
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Coulter
mesh_terms: D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005865:Gestational Age; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D010920:Placenta / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012756:Sheep; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D043205:11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1