scholarly journals Programming hyperglycaemia in the rat through prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids-fetal effect or maternal influence?

2001 ◽  
Vol 170 (3) ◽  
pp. 653-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Nyirenda ◽  
LA Welberg ◽  

In a previous study, we showed that exposure of rats to dexamethasone (Dex) selectively in late pregnancy produces permanent induction of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression and hyperglycaemia in the adult offspring. The mechanisms by which glucocorticoids cause this programming are unclear but may involve direct actions on the fetus/neonate, or glucocorticoids may act indirectly by affecting maternal postnatal nursing behaviour. Using a cross-fostering paradigm, the present data demonstrate that switching the offspring at birth from Dex-treated dams to control dams does not prevent induction of PEPCK or hyperglycaemia. Similarly, offspring born to control dams but reared by Dex-treated dams from birth maintain normal glycaemic control. During the neonatal period, injection of saline per se was sufficient to cause exaggeration in adult offspring responses to an oral glucose load, with no additional effect from Dex. However, postnatal treatment with either saline or Dex did not alter hepatic PEPCK activity. Prenatal Dex permanently raised basal plasma corticosterone levels, but under stress conditions there were no differences in circulating corticosterone levels. Likewise, Dex-exposed rats had similar plasma catecholamine concentrations to control animals. These findings show that glucocorticoids programme hyperglycaemia through mechanisms that operate on the fetus or directly on the neonate, rather than via effects that alter maternal postnatal behaviour during the suckling period. The hyperglycaemic response does not appear to result from abnormal sympathoadrenal activity or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response during stress.

1978 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Evans ◽  
J B Halter ◽  
D Porte

Abstract We directly compared the reliability of a single-isotope enzymatic derivative technique for measurement of plasma catecholamines with that of the well-established double-isotope method. A significant (p less than 0.001) correlation was observed between measurements (n = 52) in the two assays, both for norepinephrine (r = 0.97) and epinephrine (r = 0.80). Means and coefficients of variation for the two analytes in a pooled specimen of plasma, measured repeatedly during six months, were virtually identical by each assay method. Basal plasma catecholamine concentrations in two different groups of apparently healthy subjects were also similar by each method. Dopamine concentrations in plasma were consistently below the limits measurable by either technique. The single-isotope assay requires half the assay time and 1/200th the sample as the double-isotope method. We conclude that this assay is just as reliable as the double-isotope technique and gives virtually identical values for norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations in the physiological range.


1988 ◽  
Vol 60 (02) ◽  
pp. 251-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
S E Kjeldsen ◽  
K Gjesdal ◽  
P Leren ◽  
I K Eide

SummaryThe content of free-catecholamines in blood platelets is much higher than in plasma and platelet catecholamines must be taken up from plasma, since platelets lack the enzymes for catecholamine synthesis. There is some evidence that platelet catecholamine content under certain circumstances may be an integrated measure of plasma catecholamine concentrations over time. Platelet-free catecholamines were therefore assayed in 18 untreated patients with essential hypertension and in 16 normotensive control subjects. Mean platelet-free dopamine in the hypertensive group was 3.7 ± 0.4 pg/mg platelet weight, i.e. significantly less than the 6.5 ± 0.9 pg/mg found in the normotensive (p <0.005). Platelet contents of noradrenaline and adrenaline did not differ. Decreased platelet-free dopamine and unchanged platelet noradrenaline and adrenaline persisted after adjustment for increased body weight in the hypertensive group. Although the reasons for decreased platelet-free dopamine in the hypertensive group remain unknown, this finding may add to previous result showing facilitated release of granular contents from blood platelets in patients with essential hypertension. Our data do not support platelet levels of free-catecholamines to be a marker of increased sympathetic tone in essential hypertension.


1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (1) ◽  
pp. F145-F151
Author(s):  
A. S. Pollock

The mRNA for the important gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) (PEPCK; EC 4.1.1.32) is expressed in liver and kidney. In the kidney, acidosis is a unique and potent stimulus, whereas insulin, the major counterregulatory hormone of gluconeogenesis, has no effect. In this study, we find that oral glucose administration to rats rapidly decreases the abundance of renal PEPCK mRNA by 50–72%. This reduction takes place in normal euglycemic, in insulin-induced hypoglycemic, and in streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic diabetic animals. The effect of glucose is not seen in the presence of metabolic acidosis, whether induced by NH4Cl or by prolonged fasting. Therefore, it appears that oral glucose loading is a physiological suppressor of renal PEPCK message abundance, although not in acidosis.


1980 ◽  
Vol 59 (s6) ◽  
pp. 315s-317s ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Rascher ◽  
R. Dietz ◽  
A. Schomig ◽  
J. Weber ◽  
F. Gross

1. In rats with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) hypertension basal plasma concentrations of noradrenaline and adrenaline correspond to those of sham-treated controls. 2. In DOCA-treated rats frusemide caused a more pronounced increase in plasma noradrenaline than in control rats. This difference was not observed for adrenaline. 3. In the isolated perfused hind-limb preparation the sensitivity to noradrenaline was already enhanced before blood pressure was elevated. 4. These results suggest that the adrenergic vascular tone is increased in DOCA hypertension in rats.


Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (10) ◽  
pp. 4892-4900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney J. Rice ◽  
Curt A. Sandman ◽  
Mohammed R. Lenjavi ◽  
Tallie Z. Baram

Chronic early-life stress (ES) exerts profound acute and long-lasting effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, with relevance to cognitive function and affective disorders. Our ability to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects should benefit greatly from appropriate mouse models because these would enable use of powerful transgenic methods. Therefore, we have characterized a mouse model of chronic ES, which was provoked in mouse pups by abnormal, fragmented interactions with the dam. Dam-pup interaction was disrupted by limiting the nesting and bedding material in the cages, a manipulation that affected this parameter in a dose-dependent manner. At the end of their week-long rearing in the limited-nesting cages, mouse pups were stressed, as apparent from elevated basal plasma corticosterone levels. In addition, steady-state mRNA levels of CRH in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of ES-experiencing pups were reduced, without significant change in mRNA levels of arginine vasopressin. Rearing mouse pups in this stress-provoking cage environment resulted in enduring effects: basal plasma corticosterone levels were still increased, and CRH mRNA levels in paraventricular nucleus remained reduced in adult ES mice, compared with those of controls. In addition, hippocampus-dependent learning and memory functions were impaired in 4- to 8-month-old ES mice. In summary, this novel, robust model of chronic early life stress in the mouse results in acute and enduring neuroendocrine and cognitive abnormalities. This model should facilitate the examination of the specific genes and molecules involved in the generation of this stress as well as in its consequences.


2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadia A Kamal ◽  
Alan V Smrcka ◽  
Burns C Blaxall

Heart failure (HF) is a progressive disease with rapidly increasing rates of morbidity and mortality; it is the leading cause of death worldwide. Elevated sympathetic nervous system activity, a salient feature of HF progression, leads to pathologic attenuation and desensitization of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) due in part to Gβγ-mediated signaling. We recently reported that novel small molecule Gβγ inhibitors selectively block specific Gβγ signals and halt HF progression in pharmacologic and transgenic mouse models of HF. We assessed the hypothesis that the Gβγ inhibitor Gallein could be salutary in treating pre-existing HF in a clinically relevant model. We utilized the pressure-overload HF model of mouse transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Four weeks post-TAC, mice received daily IP injections of vehicle (PBS; group V) or Gallein (10mg/Kg/day; group G) for eight weeks. Gallein treatment improved survival (7 of 9 mice survived vs. 5 of 9 mice in group V) and cardiac function (%EF 75.2 ± 7.5 vs 35.6 ± 17.2 in group V, +dP/dt (mmHg/sec) 7022 ± 485.3 vs. 3584 ± 598.6 in group V), -dP/dt (mmHg/sec) -5826 ± 910.7 vs. -3260 ± 62.3 in group V, LVEDP (mmHg) 11.5 ± 3.7 vs. 29.45 ± 3.6 in group V). In addition, gallein reduced cardiac hypertrophy (HW/BW (mg/g) 5.8 ± 0.3 vs. 8.8 ± 1.1 in group V) and plasma catecholamine concentrations (adrenaline (ng/ml) 1.3 ± 0.3 vs. 6.6 ± 2.8 in group V, noradrenaline (ng/ml) 3.6 ± 0.6 vs. 15.1 ± 3.6 in group V). Reduction of interstitial fibrosis as well as mRNA levels of α-SMA, TNF-α, and IL-6 was observed in the hearts of Gallein treated animals (59.7 ± 14.1%, 43.8 ± 9.3% and 28.5 ± 3.5% relative to group V, respectively). On the molecular level, Gallein treated mice showed less GRK2 and PI3Kγ membrane recruitment, and less Akt activation (42.9 ± 7.1%, 66.7 ± 13.3% and 46.2 ± 7.7% relative to group V, respectively) in myocardial lysates. In conclusion , these data suggest a possible therapeutic role for small molecule Gβγ inhibition in halting the progression of HF, potentially via inhibition of the Gβγ-GRK2-PI3Kγ-Akt pathway. The combined effect of halting HF progression and reducing plasma catecholamines suggests a possible systemic role for small molecule Gβγ inhibition in both the heart and the adrenal gland.


Author(s):  
J. Marty ◽  
J. M. Desmonts ◽  
M. Fischler ◽  
G. Chalaux ◽  
F. Michon ◽  
...  

1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (6) ◽  
pp. G752-G758 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Sjovall ◽  
H. Forssell ◽  
J. Haggendal ◽  
L. Olbe

The study was performed to determine whether the sympathetic nervous system contributes to the reflex control of gastric HCO3- secretion in humans. Gastric HCO3- secretion was registered by a computerized technique based on measurements of pH and PCO2 in gastric effluent. To minimize formation of CO2 in the stomach, subjects were pretreated with the H2-receptor blocker ranitidine. Compensations were made for HCO3- of nongastric origin. As indicators of cardiovascular sympathetic activity, we measured heart rate, forearm vascular resistance, and plasma catecholamine concentrations. In one series of experiments, peripheral sympathetic activity was enhanced by the application of a negative pressure around the lower part of the body (lower body negative pressure, LBNP), at a rate sufficient to induce a slight decrease in systemic arterial pressure. In another series of experiments, peripheral sympathetic activity was inhibited by elevation of the legs, a procedure that simulates volume loading by redistributing blood volume toward the central circulation. LBNP at -20 mmHg decreased systolic pressure and pulse pressure and significantly increased heart rate, forearm vascular resistance, and plasma catecholamine levels. All these effects were observed in the first 15-min period of LBNP and were well maintained throughout the 45-min observation period. LBNP also inhibited basal gastric HCO3- secretion rate in seven of eight individuals, but this response was slower in onset with a latency of at least 15 min. Elevation of the legs increased pulse pressure and decreased forearm vascular resistance. Catecholamines were not measured in these experiments. Gastric HCO3- secretion tended to increase, but the magnitude of the response was highly variable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (1) ◽  
pp. F239-F242 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Irons ◽  
P. H. Baylis ◽  
J. M. Davison

The effect of infused atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on sodium excretion (UNa), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) was studied in 12 normotensive primigravidae at 32 wk gestation [late pregnancy (LP)] and again 4 mo postpartum [nonpregnant (NP)]. Three 20-min steady-state (renal) clearances of inulin and p-aminohippurate were used to measure GFR and ERPF, respectively, before and after infusion of ANP at 2 pmol.kg-1.min-1. Basal plasma ANP (pANP) was increased in LP compared with NP [7.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 3.3 +/- 0.4 pmol/l (P < 0.0001), respectively]. In LP, infusion of ANP increased pANP from 7.8 +/- 0.6 to 21.8 +/- 1.4 pmol/l (P < 0.00001), which produced a natriuresis [UNa of 0.18 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.03 mmol/min (P = 0.03), respectively], with no change in GFR (153 +/- 13 vs. 142 +/- 8 ml/min, P = 0.16) but a significant reduction in ERPF (766 +/- 52 vs. 660 +/- 31 ml/min, P = 0.002). In NP, ANP infusion increased pANP from 3.3 +/- 0.4 to 27.7 +/- 2.5 pmol/l (P < 0.00001), which produced no significant natriuresis [UNa of 0.22 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.26 +/- 0.09 mmol/min (P = 0.15), respectively] and no change in GFR (87 +/- 3 vs. 89 +/- 3 ml/min), but again a reduction in ERPF (486 +/- 17 vs. 414 +/- 9 ml/min, P < 0.001).


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