Corticosterone treatment of pregnant low dose endotoxin-treated rats: inhibition of the inflammatory response.
OBJECTIVE
Can the endotoxin-induced inflammatory response, underlying experimental pre-eclampsia, in pregnant rats be inhibited by corticosterone?


METHODS
On day 10 of pregnancy, rats were implanted with pellets containing 25% corticosterone and 75% cholesterol (n = 10) or with 100% cholesterol-pellets (n = 10). On day 14 of pregnancy, rats were infused with either endotoxin (1.0 microg/kg bw) or saline. Three days later, they were sacrificed. Cryostat kidney sections were immunohistologically stained for the presence of neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes (MO) and the expression of inflammation-associated adhesion molecules.


RESULTS
In cholesterol-treated rats, endotoxin significantly increased glomerular numbers of PMN and MO, glomerular expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 and glomerular numbers of LFA-1 and VLA-4-positive cells as compared with saline. Corticosterone treatment significantly inhibited glomerular infiltration of PMN, MO and LFA-1 positive cells after endotoxin infusion. It did not affect glomerular ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 expression or numbers of VLA-4 positive cells.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that pre-treatment with corticosterone inhibits the low dose endotoxin-induced glomerular inflammatory reaction in pregnant rats, most likely by inhibiting LFA-1 expression, thereby decreasing the adhesiveness of inflammatory cells for activated endothelial cells.
Faas
M M
MM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. m.m.faas@med.rug.nl
Slot
K
K
Koiter
T R
TR
Schuiling
G A
GA
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004731:Endotoxins; D003345:Corticosterone