Pulmonary elastin synthesis and deposition in developing and mature sheep: effects of intrauterine growth restriction.
Hypoxia and nutrient restriction during gestation restrict fetal growth and alter lung development. As elastin is intimately involved in lung development, our aim was to assess pulmonary elastin synthesis and deposition following intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) induced by umbilicoplacental embolization (UPE). Pulmonary tropoelastin expression and elastin content were examined at 128 days (5 days UPE) and 140 days (20 days UPE) of the 147- days gestation and at 8 weeks and 2.3 years after birth (both approximately 27 days UPE) in sheep. UPE induced hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, and fetal growth restriction but did not affect pulmonary tropoelastin mRNA levels or elastin deposition at any age; furthermore, elastin content was unaltered apart from being lower at 140 days. The authors conclude that hypoxemia and undernutrition associated with IUGR do not affect elastin synthesis and deposition in fetal lungs; alterations in lung structure following IUGR must have other causes.
Cock
Megan L
ML
Fetal and Neonatal Research Group, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. megan.cock@med.monash.edu.au
Joyce
Belinda J
BJ
Hooper
Stuart B
SB
Wallace
Megan J
MJ
Gagnon
Robert
R
Brace
Robert A
RA
Louey
Samantha
S
Harding
Richard
R
D000818:Animals; D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D004549:Elastin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008863:Microspheres; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014333:Tropoelastin / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014333:Tropoelastin; D004549:Elastin