Mechanisms involved in the reduced leukocyte migration in intrauterine undernourishment.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated factors that may be involved in the reduced leukocyte migration observed in intrauterine undernourished rats.


METHODS
Male Wistar rat offspring (8-9 wk of age) of dams fed during pregnancy with 50% less food than control dams were used to measure L-selectin expression (by flow cytometry), bone marrow cell count, blood cell count, laminin and type IV collagen in the basal membrane of venules of the spermatic fascia (by immunohistochemistry), total protein level and serum albumin, and the production of leukotriene B4 after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha and corticosterone plasma levels (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).


RESULTS
Hypocellularity in bone marrow and peripheral blood and reduced L-selectin expression were found in the undernourished rat offspring (UR) compared with nourished offspring (NR; P < 0.05). Type IV collagen in the basal membrane of the venules of the spermatic fascia was less in UR than in NR (P < 0.05). The total protein levels and serum albumin did not differ between the two groups. Leukotriene B4 production after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha was lower in UR (P < 0.05). These differences could not be attributed to circulating glucocorticoids levels, which were not different in the NR and UR groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that all observed differences contribute to reduced leukocyte migration in undernourishment.
Landgraf
Maristella A
MA
Laboratory of Hypertension and Inflammation, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. mvitta@usp.br
Tostes
Rita de C A
Rde C
Borelli
Primavera
P
Zorn
Telma Maria Tenório
TM
Nigro
Dorothy
D
Carvalho
Maria Helena C
MH
Fortes
Zuleica B
ZB
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000502:physiology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D024141:Collagen Type IV; D007797:Laminin; D012709:Serum Albumin; D019041:L-Selectin; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D003345:Corticosterone