Impact of experimental diabetes and chronic hypoxia on rat fetal body weight.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to determine the impact of the experimental diabetes and the chronic hypoxia on pregnancy development and rat fetal body weight. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiment was performed on female Wistar rats. Animals were divided into the experimen-tal groups. I - Controls, II - Untreated diabetes, III - Insulin-treated diabetes, IV - No diabetes with chronic hypoxia, V - Untreated diabetes and chronic hypoxia, VI - Insulin- treated diabetes and chronic hypoxia. Diabetes was induced in groups II, III, V and VI with intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (STZ) at a dose of 40 mg/kg. Chronic hypoxia was induced by placing dams (groups IV, V and VI) in conditions of 10.5% oxygen and 89.5%. Insulin was administered subcutaneously at the dose of 9 IU/kg. Starting from the 6th day after STZ injection and chronic hypoxia conditions animals were caged together for 12 hours for 3 consecutive days to ensure fertilization. On day 21 of gestation the animals were decapitated, the fetuses were removed and weighted. RESULTS: Mean fetal body weight in separate groups were: I - 5.38 g, II - 6.04g, III - 5.32g, IV- 5.56 g, V - 3.45 g, VI - 6.23 g. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing type 1 diabetes does not affect fetal body weight compared to healthy newborn control rats. Pro-longed hypoxia does not impact on fetal body weight. Chronic hypoxia during pregnancy complicated with untreated type 1 diabetes mellitus leads to significant reduction of fetal body weight. Insulin treatment reversed the detrimental effect of chronic hypoxia on fetal development.

[Influence of chronic hypoxia on optical density of µ-opioid receptors in fetal rat brain]. / Wplyw dlugotrwalego niedotlenienia na gestosc optyczna receptorów µ-opioidowych w mózgu plodów szczurzych.

UNLABELLED: Fetal brain is considered to be the major body organ, critical for the future quality of human life. Offspring exposed to prenatal hypoxia has been evidenced to experience behavioral abnormalities as a result of the injury sustained by neuronal cells in the brain. The relatively early appearance of opioid receptors proved susceptible to endogenous and exogenous factors. Increased concentrations of neurotransmitters in the maternal circulation and amniotic fluid induced by hypoxic exposure imply their role in the regulation of cellular division and differentiation processes. Endogenous neuropeptides and specific opioid receptors are distributed in those brain structures that are associated with behavior and reproduction. Fetuses exposed to the adverse effects of increased opioid level incur structural brain tissue abnormalities. OBJECTIVES: The present study seeks to determine the effects of long-term hypoxic exposure during gestation on the expression of opioid receptors in specific brain regions in both sexes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted on pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats, (120 days old, body weight between 250 and 300 g). Experiments were carried out in order to determine the effect of long-term hypoxia on µ-opioid receptor density in selected structures of fetal central nervous system: caudate-putamen (CPu), zona germinata (ZG), nucleus accumbens (NA), olfactory tubercle (OT), Median Part Medial Preoptic Area (MMPoA) and Lateral Part Medial Preoptic Area (LMPoA). Pregnant female rats were assigned to two research groups: the control group (N=6) and the experimental group subject to prolonged hypoxia for 24 hours from the gestational day 15 to gestational day 20 (E-15-E20). At E-21 rats were sacrificed, their fetuses were removed and their brains were incubated with radioligands. The µ-opioid receptor incubation in selected brain structures was performed with a specific radioisotope [3H]DAMGO [tyrosyl-3,5,-3H(N)-D-Ala-Gly-N-methyl-Phe-Gly-enkephalin]. Optical density of µ-opioid receptors was determined at E-21 of gestation during long-term exposure to chronic hypoxia induced from E-15 to E-21 of gestation. Experimental model coupled with an innovative autoradiography allowed for a precise assessment of the lesions sustained by fetal brain tissues due to hypoxia and the adaptive mechanisms of the central nervous system in reaction to hypoxic exposure. RESULTS: Statistically significant chronic hypoxia (p<0.05) downregulated the values of µ-opioid receptors optical density in relation to control group in CPu and ZG. Chronic hypoxia in ZG substantially reduces the values of µ-opioid receptors optical density in males (p<0.05). The differences among remaining groups did not show to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results of µ-opioid receptor expression can be detected in specific fetal brain regions that mediate sexual behavior and may be attributable to behavioral changes of experimental animals due to hypoxic exposure during gestation.

Chemokines profiling of patients with preterm birth.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays it is thought that the main cause of premature birth is subclinical infection. However, none of the currently used methods provide effective prevention to preterm labor. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of selected chemokines in sera of patients with premature birth without clinical signs of infection (n = 62), threatened preterm labor (n = 47), and term births (n = 28). METHOD: To assess the concentration of chemokines in the blood serum, we used a multiplex method, which allows the simultaneous determination of 40 chemokines per sample. The sets consist of the following chemokines: 6Ckine/CCL21, Axl, BTC, CCL28, CTACK/CCL27, CXCL16, ENA-78/CXCL5, Eotaxin-3/CCL26, GCP-2/CXC, GRO (GRO α /CXCL1, GRO ß /CXCL2 and GRO γ /CXCL3), HCC-1/CCL14, HCC-4/CCL16, IL-9, IL-17F, IL18-BPa, IL-28A, IL-29, IL-31, IP-10/CXCL10, I-TAC/CXCL11, LIF, LIGHT/TNFSF14, Lymphotactin/XCL1, MCP-2/CCL8, MCP-3/CCL7, MCP-4/CCL13, MDC/CCL22, MIF, MIP-3 α /CCL20, MIP-3- ß /CCL19, MPIF-1/CCL23, NAP-2/CXCL7, MSP α , OPN, PARC/CCL18, PF4, SDF-1/CXCL12, TARC/CCL17, TECK/CCL25, and TSLP. RESULTS: We showed possible implication of 4 chemokines, that is, HCC-4, I-TAC, MIP-3 α , and TARC in women with symptoms of preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our findings, it seems that the chemokines may play role in the pathogenesis of preterm labor. Defining their potential as biochemical markers of preterm birth requires further investigation on larger group of patients.

[Ultrasound evaluation of fetal adrenal gland volume. The role of fetal adrenal glands in the pathogenesis of preterm labor]. / Ultrasonograficzna ocena objetosci nadnerczy plodu. Rola nadnerczy w patogenezie porodu przedwczesnego.

Preterm labor remains to be one of the most important challenges of contemporary perinatology and constitutes the main reason of perinatal mortality and prematurity of neonates. Studies on preterm labor have confirmed the mutual interactions of several different hormonal systems while the activation of hypothalamic- pituitary- adrenal axis seems to have the greatest influence. It has been also suggested that size and mass of fetal adrenal glands may be associated with the risk of preterm labor. Several authors have shown that the evaluation of fetal adrenal gland volume may be a useful marker of fetal growth during pregnancy. Technological advancements enabled the development of three-dimensional ultrasound evaluation (3D) of the fetal adrenal glands, facilitating a more precise evaluation of their volume. Also, it seems to have higher sensitivity and specificity than two-dimensional ultrasonography (2D). Studies have confirmed a direct relationship between fetal adrenal gland size and the onset of preterm labor within at least 1 week since the ultrasound exam. They have also suggested that in a physiological pregnancy the relation between fetal zone and the whole organ remains constant throughout the pregnancy. Disruption of these proportions and fetal zone enlargement are considered to be a marker of labor cascade and preterm labor with significantly higher sensitivity and specificity than ultrasound evaluation of the cervical length and assessment of the fetal fibronectin concentration.

[Ultrasound evaluation of fetal adrenal gland volume. The role of fetal adrenal glands in the pathogenesis of preterm labor]. / Ultrasonograficzna ocena objetosci nadnerczy plodu. Rola nadnerczy w patogenezie porodu przedwczesnego.

Preterm labor remains to be one of the most important challenges of contemporary perinatology and constitutes the main reason of perinatal mortality and prematurity of neonates. Studies on preterm labor have confirmed the mutual interactions of several different hormonal systems while the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis seems to have the greatest influence. It has been also suggested that size and mass of fetal adrenal glands may be associated with the risk of preterm labor Several authors have shown that the evaluation of fetal adrenal gland volume may be a useful marker of fetal growth during pregnancy Technological advancements enabled the development of three-dimensional ultrasound evaluation (3D) of the fetal adrenal glands, facilitating a more precise evaluation of their volume. Also, it seems to have higher sensitivity and specificity than two-dimensional ultrasonography (2D). Studies have confirmed a direct relationship between fetal adrenal gland size and the onset of preterm labor within at least 1 week since the ultrasound exam. They have also suggested that in a physiological pregnancy the relation between fetal zone and the whole organ remains constant throughout the pregnancy Disruption of these proportions and fetal zone enlargement are considered to be a marker of labor cascade and preterm labor with significantly higher sensitivity and specificity than ultrasound evaluation of the cervical length and assessment of the fetal fibronectin concentration.

[Elafin and its influence on the patomechanism of preterm labor]. / Elafina i jej wplyw na patomechanizm porodu przedwczesnego.

The prevention of infection in pregnancy is critical to provide an appropriate fetal development and term delivery. Natural antimicrobials are the mediators of innate immune system with antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. It has been found that these antimicrobials play the great role in a homeostasis of bronchial and intestine epithelium, endometrium and epidermis. The activity of elafin--neutrophil elastase inhibitor--has been found in female reproductive system microenvironment (cervix, endometrium and fallopian tube) with the highest expression in the endometrium of non-pregnant women during ovulation and menstruation. The influence of elafin has been established on the maintenance of early pregnancy and the patomechanism of preterm labor and other pathology of pregnancy. Elafin level in amniotic fluid has been confirmed to be decreased in cases of preterm rupture of membranes (PROM). The protein may be a good marker of preterm labor and use in its diagnostics and treatment.

[Diagnostic usefulness of uterine artery Doppler]. / Przydatnosc diagnostyczna badania dopplerowskiego tetnic macicznych.

Doppler waves present hemodynamic state of vascular bed. This method is used in a diagnostic of pathological states in pregnancy. Basing on the observation of curve shape of uterine artery blood flow, we may conclude about its vascular resistance, wall tension and amount of blood. Several studies confirmed the opportunity of the use of Doppler uterine artery in a diagnosis and prognosis of complicated pregnancies. The incidence of notch in uterine artery blood flow was observed in pregnancies with incomplete trophoblast invasion and inadequate placentation. Many studies confirmed that bilateral notch might be associated with increased likelihood of different pregnancy complications, particularly pregnancy--induced hypertension (PIH) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The results of the most recent trials include the possibility of the use Ut-PI in a distinguishing of abnormal biochemical, prenatal tests in chromosomal aberrations and different pathological states in pregnancy such as preeclampsia and fetal hypotrophy.