title: Fetal growth restriction in hypothyroidism is associated with changes in proliferative activity, apoptosis and vascularisation of the placenta.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate fetal weight, histomorphometric changes and proliferative activity, apoptosis and angiogenesis of the placenta in rats with hypothyroidism. Thirty-six adult female rats were divided into two groups with 18 animals each: control and hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism was induced by daily administration of propylthiouracil (1 mg/animal). The administration began five days before becoming pregnant and the animals were sacrificed at 14 or 19 days of gestation. The control group received a placebo. The number and weight of fetuses and the rate of fetal death was determined, as well as the morphometric characteristics, the immunohistochemical expression of cell division control protein 47 (CDC)-47 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the number of apoptotic cells in the placental disk. The data were analysed by Mann-Whitney U test. Hypothyroidism reduced the weight of fetuses and of the uterus and placenta (P<0.05), altered the thickness of the placental labyrinth and spongiotrophoblast (P<0.05), increased the population of glycogen cells in the spongiotrophoblast (P<0.05), interfered with the vascular development of the placental labyrinth and decreased VEGF expression (P<0.05), reduced the expression of CDC-47 and cellularity and increased the apoptotic rate in the placental disk (P<0.05). We conclude that hypothyroidism affects fetal weight by altering the proliferative activity, apoptosis and vascularisation of the placenta.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juneo F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Paula N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Vidigal
authors.forename: Daniele D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Jankerle N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Boeloni
authors.forename: Philipe Pimenta
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Natália M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ocarino
authors.forename: Ernane F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Rogéria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serakides
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020567:Fetal Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D064168:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 7; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D051381:Rats; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D006003:Glycogen; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C512202:MCM7 protein, rat; D064168:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 7