Abstract
Inadequate nutrition compromises fetal development and poses long-term health risks for the offspring, even without decreased birth weight. The present study sought to 1) establish the ontogeny of fetal renal glomerulus number (GN) in sheep and 2) evaluate the effects of 50% global nutrient restriction (NR) during early to midgestation on GN and the renin-angiotensin system in the fetal kidney. GN increased from 78 dG (68,560 ± 3802) to 135 dG (586,118 ± 25,792). NR increased combined kidney weight (29 ± 0.6 g versus 23 ± 1.1 g), whereas decreased GN relative to right kidney weight approached significance in males (26,000 ± 5300 versus 39,000 ± 2800 GN/g) compared with control (C) males and females. NR decreased immunoreactive angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 receptor (AT1) in the NR kidneys at 78 dG and increased renin at 135 dG. Immunoreactive renin decreased from 78 to 135 dG. Female fetuses had more immunoreactive Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2) than male fetuses at 78 dG and males had more AT1 at 135 dG. The present study demonstrates gender-specific differences in fetal growth and development and in fetal kidney development in pregnancies affected by NR.
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Abbreviations
- ACE:
-
angiotensin-converting enzyme
- Ang II:
-
angiotensin II
- AT1:
-
angiotensin II type 1 receptor
- AT2:
-
angiotensin II type 2 receptor
- C:
-
control fed 28–78 dG
- CC:
-
control fed 28–135 dG
- dG:
-
days of gestational age
- GN:
-
glomerulus number
- NR:
-
nutrient restriction/restricted
- RAS:
-
renin-angiotensin system
- R:
-
NR fed 28–78 dG
- RC:
-
NR 28–78 dG, control fed 79–135 dG
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Dr. Graham Mitchell and Carole Hertz for their contributions. The NR paradigm was provided by the Center for the Study of Fetal Programming at the University of Wyoming.
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Supported by National Institutes of Health HD21350 and HL65399 (UT), BRIN 1P20RR16474-01 (University of Wyoming).
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Gilbert, J., Ford, S., Lang, A. et al. Nutrient Restriction Impairs Nephrogenesis in a Gender-Specific Manner in the Ovine Fetus. Pediatr Res 61, 42–47 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000250208.09874.91
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000250208.09874.91
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