title: Effect of maternal nicotine/thiocyanate exposure during gestational period upon pituitary, thyroid and parathyroid function/morphology of 1-month-old rat offspring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impact of in utero exposure to nicotine, on the structure of the thyroid-pituitary axis and the parathyroid glands have been examined in 1-month-old rats and compared with that of thiocyanate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three pregnant female groups were used; control, nicotine and thiocyanate. Treatment started from gestation day (4-20) and the specimens were harvested from the male offspring of all groups at the age of 1 month and processed for light, electronmicroscopic and immunohistochemical examination. Total triiodothyronine (tT3), total thyroxine (tT4) and total thyrotropin (TSH) were quantitatively determined in serum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both nicotine and thiocyanate activated the thyroid follicular cells, with an increase in height (about 30 %) and a negative feedback on the pituitary thyrotrophs which revealed a reduction in the number of cytoplasmic secretory granules, particularly the thiocyanate group. However, in thiocyanate group there was signs of impaired secretory activity of the thyroid gland. The arbitrary area of parathyroid chief cells, increased (about 45 %) particularly in nicotine group, with signs of reduced activity and a positive feedback on the parafollicular cells which revealed hypertrophy, proliferation (25 %) and increased intensity of positive immunohistochemical reaction for calcitonin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nicotine impaired chief parathyroid cells activity and consequently activated parafollicular cells. Thiocyanate reduced pituitary thyrotrophs activity, whereas both nicotine and thiocyanate increased thyroid follicular cells activity. This impact of in utero exposure persisted for 1-month postnatal.
authors.affiliation: Histology and Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Departments, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdelhafez
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Eltony
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Abdelhameed
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Elgayar
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D022142:Secretory Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013861:Thiocyanates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D013861:Thiocyanates; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine; D002116:Calcitonin; C009941:potassium thiocyanate