Endothelin-1 concentrations in clone calves, their surrogate dams, and fetal fluids at birth: association with oxygen treatment.
Increased endothelin-1 (ET-1) plasma concentration in human infants is associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, a problem also identified in calves derived from somatic cell clone technology. Increased ET-1 also is present in the amnionic fluid and plasma of the infant and mother in preeclampsia, a condition associated with abnormal placentation. Abnormalities in placentation are identified in clone calves. We measured ET-1 in fetal fluid, calf plasma, and surrogate dam plasma in 40 clone calves at the time of term delivery. Calves were subsequently identified as being either oxygen treated (O2) or non-oxygen treated based on their postpartum clinical course. Fetal fluid ET-1 concentration greater than 1.4 ng/mL carried a 3-fold increase in odds of the calf being treated with oxygen. Maternal plasma ET-1 concentration was greater in the O2 group (13 pg/ mL: [8-23 pg/mL] versus 25 pg/mL [12-40 pg/mL]; median, 25-75 percentile). Plasma ET-1 concentration in calves was not significantly different between groups. Fetal fluid ET-1 may serve as a marker for neonatal disorders of oxygenation in clone calves and the source of ET-1 may be the placenta.
Wilkins
Pamela A
PA
Section of Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA. pwilkins@vet.upenn.edu
Boston
Raymond
R
Palmer
Jonathan E
JE
Armstead
William M
WM
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D019976:Cloning, Organism; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010100:Oxygen