title: Environmental factors affecting pregnancy: endocrine disrupters, nutrients and metabolic pathways.
abstract: Uterine adenogenesis, a unique post-natal event in mammals, is vulnerable to endocrine disruption by estrogens and progestins resulting in infertility or reduced prolificacy. The absence of uterine glands results in insufficient transport of nutrients into the uterine lumen to support conceptus development. Arginine, a component of histotroph, is substrate for production of nitric oxide, polyamines and agmatine and, with secreted phosphoprotein 1, it affects cytoskeletal organization of trophectoderm. Arginine is critical for development of the conceptus, pregnancy recognition signaling, implantation and placentation. Conceptuses of ungulates and cetaceans convert glucose to fructose which is metabolized via multiple pathways to support growth and development. However, high fructose corn syrup in soft drinks and foods may increase risks for metabolic disorders and increase insulin resistance in adults. Understanding endocrine disrupters and dietary substances, and novel pathways for nutrient metabolism during pregnancy can improve survival and growth, and prevent chronic metabolic diseases in offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States. Electronic address: fbazer@cvm.tamu.edu.
authors.forename: Fuller W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Bazer
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
authors.forename: Guoyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D047108:Embryonic Development; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D066248:High Fructose Corn Syrup / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011372:Progestins / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D066248:High Fructose Corn Syrup; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011073:Polyamines; D011372:Progestins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000376:Agmatine; D001120:Arginine
keywords: Arginine; Endocrine Disrupter; Glucose; Pregnancy; Secreted phosphoprotein 1