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Fetal dexamethasone exposure impairs cellular development in neonatal rat heart and kidney: effects on DNA and protein in whole tissues.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Slotkin, TA; Seidler, FJ; Kavlock, RJ; Bartolome, JV
Published in: Teratology
April 1991

Fetal glucocorticoid exposure causes postnatal growth retardation. To examine the mechanisms underlying effects on specific organ systems, we administered 0.2 or 0.8 mg/kg of dexamethasone to pregnant rats on gestational days 17, 18, and 19 and assessed three biochemical markers of cell development in heart and kidney of the offspring: DNA content per organ as an index of total cell numbers, DNA per g tissue as an index of cell packing density, and protein/DNA ratio as an index of relative cell size. In both tissues, DNA content became markedly subnormal during the first postnatal week, the ontogenetic period of rapid cell division. Partial recovery occurred by the end of the first postnatal month. In the heart, cell packing density was subnormal initially and the cells were significantly enlarged. In contrast, packing density was slightly elevated in the kidney; protein/DNA was increased by the low dose of dexamethasone, but markedly decreased by the high dose. These results suggest that tissue growth impairment caused by prenatal dexamethasone treatment reflects primary deficits in cell proliferation that extend to a variety of different cell types; however, consequent effects on cell packing density and cell size are dose-specific, possibly reflecting actions of glucocorticoids selective for certain cell types or phases of cell development.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Teratology

DOI

ISSN

0040-3709

Publication Date

April 1991

Volume

43

Issue

4

Start / End Page

301 / 306

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Rats
  • Proteins
  • Pregnancy
  • Myocardium
  • Maternal-Fetal Exchange
  • Kidney
  • Heart
  • Genetics & Heredity
  • Female
 

Citation

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Slotkin, T. A., Seidler, F. J., Kavlock, R. J., & Bartolome, J. V. (1991). Fetal dexamethasone exposure impairs cellular development in neonatal rat heart and kidney: effects on DNA and protein in whole tissues. Teratology, 43(4), 301–306. https://doi.org/10.1002/tera.1420430404
Slotkin, T. A., F. J. Seidler, R. J. Kavlock, and J. V. Bartolome. “Fetal dexamethasone exposure impairs cellular development in neonatal rat heart and kidney: effects on DNA and protein in whole tissues.Teratology 43, no. 4 (April 1991): 301–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/tera.1420430404.
Slotkin, T. A., et al. “Fetal dexamethasone exposure impairs cellular development in neonatal rat heart and kidney: effects on DNA and protein in whole tissues.Teratology, vol. 43, no. 4, Apr. 1991, pp. 301–06. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/tera.1420430404.

Published In

Teratology

DOI

ISSN

0040-3709

Publication Date

April 1991

Volume

43

Issue

4

Start / End Page

301 / 306

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Rats
  • Proteins
  • Pregnancy
  • Myocardium
  • Maternal-Fetal Exchange
  • Kidney
  • Heart
  • Genetics & Heredity
  • Female