To examine the cardiovascular effects on the fetus of an elevated umbilical vascular resistance resulting in fetal hypoxemia, we embolized the fetal side of the placenta in pregnant sheep and measured cardiovascular and hormonal changes and cellular growth in fetal heart. Chronically catheterized fetal sheep were embolized (n = 6) for 21 days between 0.74 and 0.88 of gestation into the descending aorta until arterial oxygen content was decreased by 40-50% of the preembolization value. Control animals (n = 6) received saline only. During embolization, fetuses became chronically hypoxemic (P < 0.001) and hypertensive (P < 0.001), with a progressive increase in umbilical artery resistance index (P < 0.001). There was also an increase in fetal plasma norepinephrine throughout the study period (P < 0.05). On day 21 of embolization, fetuses showed asymmetrical growth restriction, increased heart weight (P < 0.01), and increase in right and left ventricular wall thickness (P < 0.05) compared with control animals. The protein-to-DNA ratio, an index of cell size, increased in the right ventricular myocardium in the embolized group (P < 0.001), suggesting myocardial cell hypertrophy. We conclude that, during chronic placental damage leading to fetal hypoxemia with an increase in umbilical artery resistance index, fetuses developed arterial hypertension and asymmetrical growth restriction and that increases in afterload to the heart and plasma norepinephrine likely caused fetal myocardial hypertrophy.

Previous studies have shown that transforming growth factor a is expressed during rodent development. To establish the site(s) of transforming growth factor a mRNA expression during rat embryogensis, we performed in situ hybridization and Northern blot analyses on samples of embryonic and maternal tissues at various gestational ages. Our results indicate that the high levels of transforming growth factor a mRNA that are observed during early development are the result of expression in the maternal decidua and not in the embryo. Decidual expression appears to be induced after implantation, peaks at day 8, and then slowly declines through day 15 at which time the decidua is being resorbed. Expression of transforming growth factor a mRNA is highest in that region of the decidua adjacent to the embryo and is low or nondetectable in the uterus, placenta, and other maternal tissues. The developmentally regulated expression of transforming growth factor a mRNA in the decidua, together with the presence of epidermal growth factor receptors in this tissue, suggests that transforming growth factor a stimulates proliferation locally through an autocrine mechanism. Since epidermal growth factor receptors are present in the embryo and placenta, transforming growth factor a produced in the decidua may also act on these tissues through paracrine or endocrine mechanisms.Transforming growth factors (TGFs) are polypeptides, first purified from retrovirus-transformed cells in culture, that have been shown to confer on cultured normal cells phenotypic properties associated with transformation (4, 27). These reversible alterations include changes in morphology, the loss of contact inhibition, and the acquisition of growth in soft agar. Two distinct TGFs have been described: TGFa and TGFP. TGFa is a single polypeptide of 50 amino acids that shares 30% sequence homology with epidermal growth factor (EGF) (17) and exerts its biological action by binding to the EGF receptor (5, 22). TGF,B is an unrelated homodimer of 112 amino acids that does not bind the EGF receptor (6,18,26). Interactions between TGFa and TGF, are complex, with the outcome depending on the cell type examined; e.g., in fibroblasts grown in soft agar, TGF, potentiates the mitogenic action of TGFa (and EGF) and does not act as a mitogen itself (19,25). In view of their biological actions and the finding that human and rodent TGFs are expressed by a variety of transformed as well as tumor cells, it has been proposed that these proteins play a role in the growth of some tumors through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms (31).cDNAs encoding both human (8) (21) showed that mouse embryos between days 11.5 and 17.5 of gestation contained more EGF-like material than could be accounted for by an EGFspecific radioimmunoassay. Using radioreceptor assays and bioassays, Twardzik (32) subsequently demonstrated a high level of TGFa in day 7 mouse embryos. This high level then declined and was followed by a smaller peak at day 13. Similarly, we have previously shown that rat embryos at...

Bovine oviductal monolayer and vesicle primary cultures express insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and -II mRNAs and polypeptides. Early bovine embryos also express IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF-I receptor, IGF-II receptor, and insulin receptor mRNAs. This study reports the expression of IGF binding protein (IGFBP) mRNAs and polypeptides in bovine oviduct primary cultures and IGFBP mRNAs in preattachment embryos. Release of immunoreactive IGF-I and IGF-II by oviduct cultures and bovine blastocysts was also determined. IGFBP-2, -3, -4, and -5 transcripts were observed in oviduct primary cultures throughout an 8-day interval. IGFBP-1 and -6 mRNAs were consistently not detected in the oviduct. Messenger RNAs encoding IGFBPs -2, -3, and -4 were detected throughout bovine preattachment development, while transcripts encoding IGFBP-5 were detected only in blastocysts. IGFBP-1 and -6 transcripts were not detected in early embryos. Ligand blot analysis with 125I-labeled IGF-II revealed the presence of four prominent polypeptide bands of approximate molecular masses 24, 31, and 36 kDa, and a broad band extending from 46 to 53 kDa, in conditioned media samples prepared from oviduct primary cultures. Western immunoblot analysis confirmed the identity of the 24-kDa, 31-kDa, and 36-kDa species as IGFBP-4, -5, and -2, respectively. Levels of the release of IGF-II from oviductal vesicle cultures were significantly greater than levels observed for monolayer cultures (p < 0.005). No significant difference in the levels of IGF-I release between monolayer and vesicle cultures was observed. Pools of 10 blastocysts released on average 36.2 +/- 3.9 pg of IGF-II per embryo, while the release of embryonic IGF-I was below the levels of detection for our assay. The results suggest that maternally derived IGF may be regulated by IGFBPs to support bovine preattachment development.

Insulin is a major regulatory hormone for optimal tissue growth and function in utero. Its continued availability to the growing fetus depends on increasing islet cell mass. The purpose of the study was to examine the interactions between nutrient availability and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) release and action during DNA synthesis by isolated fetal rat islets of Langerhans. Specifically, we wished to determine (a) whether the availability of glucose or total amino acids altered the release of endogenous IGF-I or -II, (b) if both IGF-I and -II were effective mitogens for pancreatic beta-cells, (c) whether islets released IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and their possible regulation by nutrient availability and (d) how IGFBPs might regulate the ability of IGFs to alter islet DNA synthesis. Islets of Langerhans were isolated from fetal rat pancreata on day 22 of gestation by collagenase digestion. Islets enriched in beta-cells following a 5-day preincubation regime were maintained in various concentrations of glucose (1.4-16.7 mmol/l) or amino acids (x1- x3 total concentrations), with or without exogenous IGF-I, -II, IGFBP-1 or IGFBP-2. The release of insulin and endogenous IGF-I and -II were each determined by radioimmunoassay, and IGFBP release characterized by Western ligand blot analysis. DNA synthesis was measured by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine. Isolated islets demonstrated an increased release of insulin in response to increasing amounts of both glucose and amino acids, demonstrating functional viability. Both classes of nutrients also increased the DNA synthetic rate of islets. Islets released almost twice as much IGF-II (0.22 +/- 0.08 nmol/l, mean +/- S.E.M., n = 4) as IGF-I (0.14 +/- 0.03 nmol/l) in cultures containing 8.7 mmol glucose/l and x1 amino acids. Lesser or greater concentrations of glucose did not alter the release of either IGF, but the release of IGF-II was significantly increased (0.53 +/- 0.08 nmol/l, P < 0.01) in the presence of x2 amino acids. Exogenous IGF-I was fivefold more active in stimulating DNA synthesis by islets (half maximal concentration (ED50) 1.6 +/- 0.4 nmol/l, n = 3) than was IGF-II (ED50 8.1 +/- 0.6 nmol/l), regardless of glucose concentration. Isolated islets released four species of IGFBP with molecular sizes of approximately 19, 25, 35 and 46 kDa respectively. The 35 kDa form was identified by Western immunoblot as IGFBP-2. Increasing the glucose concentration between 1.4 mmol/l and 16.7 mmol/l caused a dose-related increase in the release of the 19, 25 and 35 kDa IGFBP species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)