title: Placenta detachment: unexpected high concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) in fetal blood and its mitogenic effect on placental cells in bovine.
abstract: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine whether there is a profile of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) concentrations in fetal bovine blood and tissues during pregnancy, parturition and the early neonatal period and (2) to determine whether 5-HT has a 'mitogenic' effect on cultured placentome cells in bovine. Results revealed a 5-HT concentration profile in fetal blood. Overall concentrations of 5-HT in fetal blood were 6.6 times (P< 0.001) that of adult cows and 2.8 times (P< 0.001) that of blood collected during caesarean section (from umbilical veins) and from 18-72 h old calves. Mid-term and full-term pregnancy fetuses were not statistically different from each other. Overall concentrations of 5-HT in the intestinal wall of the fetus were 4.4 times higher (P< 0.05) than in the 24 h calf. Concentration of 5-HT in full-term muscle was 3.5 times higher than in mid-term muscle and 2.8 times higher than in 24 h old calf muscle (P< 0.05). Concentrations of 5-HT in mid-term and full-term cotyledon were 4.4 times higher (P< 0.05) than in post partum cotyledon. Characterized trophoblast cells and a heterogeneous population of bovine cotyledon cells treated with 5-HT (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 microm) incorporated between 2.0 and 3.0 times more(3)[H]-thymidine than untreated controls, indicating a dose-dependent (r=0.94) positive mitogenic effect of 5-HT. Both groups of cultured cells responded equally. Five-HT treatment did not affect either cell number or cell size. It was concluded that a 5-HT concentration profile exists in fetal bovine blood and tissues and that 5-HT has the ability to act as a mitogen in bovine placental cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, The University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-4500, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fecteau
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eiler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D012701:Serotonin; D004247:DNA; D013936:Thymidine