title: Vitamin D Depletion in Pregnancy Decreases Survival Time, Oxygen Saturation, Lung Weight and Body Weight in Preterm Rat Offspring.
abstract: Animal studies suggest a role of vitamin D in fetal lung development although not studied in preterm animals. We tested the hypothesis that vitamin D depletion aggravates respiratory insufficiency in preterm rat offspring. Furthermore, the effects of vitamin D depletion on growth and lung surfactant were investigated. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned low vitamin D (VDL) or control diet before mating and followed with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) determinations. After cesarean section at gestational day 19 (E19) or day 22 (E22), placental weight, birth weight, crown-rump-length (CRL), oxygenation (SaO2) at 30 min and survival time were recorded. The pup lungs were analyzed for phospholipid levels, surfactant protein A-D mRNA and the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). S-25(OH)D was significantly lower in the VDL group at cesarean section (12 vs. 30nmol/L, p<0.0001). Compared to the controls, E19 VDL pups had lower birth weight (2.13 vs. 2.29g, p<0.001), lung weight (0.09 vs. 0.10g, p = 0.002), SaO2 (54% vs. 69%, p = 0.002) as well as reduced survival time (0.50 vs. 1.25h, p<0.0001). At E22, the VDL-induced pulmonary differences were leveled out, but VDL pups had lower CRL (4.0 vs. 4.5cm, p<0.0001). The phospholipid levels and the surfactant protein mRNA expression did not differ between the dietary groups. In conclusion, Vitamin D depletion led to lower oxygenation and reduced survival time in the preterm offspring, associated with reduced lung weight and birth weight. Further studies of vitamin D depletion in respiratory insufficiency in preterm neonates are warranted.
authors: Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.|Clinical Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Sine
authors: S
authors: Lykkedegn
authors: Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Cancer and Inflammation, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Grith Lykke
authors: GL
authors: Sorensen
authors: Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.|Clinical Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Signe Sparre
authors: SS
authors: Beck-Nielsen
authors: Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Cancer and Inflammation, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Bartosz
authors: B
authors: Pilecki
authors: MEMPHYS, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Duelund
authors: Institute of Pathology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Marcussen
authors: Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.|Clinical Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors: Henrik Thybo
authors: HT
authors: Christesen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D010100:Oxygen