Effect of reactive oxygen species on fetal lung maturation.
OBJECTIVE
Fetal lung maturation in preterm infants with chorioamnionitis is known to be accelerated. However, the molecular basis of this pathological acceleration has not been elucidated. We investigated whether reactive oxygen species play a role in the acceleration of fetal lung maturation.


METHODS
On the 16th day of gestation, xanthine (1mM) and xanthine oxidase solution (0.1-100mU/ml) were injected into the intrauterine cavity of pregnant rats. On the 19th day of gestation, we examined the expression of the mRNA of surfactant associated proteins A, B and C (sp-A, sp-B and sp-C) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
sp-A, sp-B and sp-C mRNAs were observed in lung tissue from fetal rats stimulated by xanthine-xanthine oxidase in contrast to the control.


CONCLUSIONS
Reactive oxygen species in amniotic fluid might be an important factor in accelerated fetal lung maturation associated with chorioamnionitis in the rat experimental model.
Tsuda
A
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita City Hospital, 4-30 Kawamoto-Matsuoka-cho, Akita, Japan. atsuda@nisiq.net
Ikegami
T
T
Ogawa
M
M
Tsubaki
H
H
Obara
M
M
Tanaka
T
T
Urayama
O
O
Chihara
J
J
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity / Q000187:drug effects*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000235:genetics; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019820:Xanthine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
D011510:Proteolipids; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D019820:Xanthine; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase