A STUDY OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF MATERNAL AND FETAL ADRENAL GLANDS OF RATS1,2

Jones, Jacqueline M.; Lloyd, Charles W.; Wyatt, Tyree C.

doi:10.1210/endo-53-2-182

Cited by 42 publications

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“…Knobil and Briggs ( 2 ) , however, reported no increase in fetal adrenal weight if pregnant rats were hypophysectomized prior to adrenalectomy and concluded that the fetal adrenal hypertrophy reflects increased maternal rather than fetal ACTH secretion. Others have demonstrated that stimulation of the maternal adrenal (by cold or with exogenous ACTH) suppressed rather than stimulated fetal adrenal function and these investigators (9) maintain that maternal corticosteroids, but not ACTH, are capable of crossing the placenta. I t is alleged (10) that the source of the relatively high plasma corticosterone levels found in newborn rats is the fetal adrenal itself but other investigators maintain that maternal corticoids normally traverse that placenta at term to exert a restraining influence on fetal ACTH secretion ( 1,6!…”

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Dexamethasone and Corticosterone Administration to Pregnant Rats: Effects on Pituitary-Adrenocortical Function in the Newborn

Paul¹,

D'Angelo²

1972

Experimental Biology and Medicine

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Although there is convincing evidence that the fetal pituitary-adrenocortical system of the rat is fully operative in late stages of gestation, the question of whether maternal corticosteroids traverse the placenta to influence fetal hypophyseal function has not been satisfactorily resolved. Enlargement of the fetal adrenal occurs if pregnant rats are either adrenalectomized (1-3) or treated with adrenocortical inhibitors (4, 5). Administration of cortisone to either intact or adrenalectomized pregnant rats causes reduction in fetal adrenal weight (1, 6) and compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining adrenal following fetal unilateral adrenalectomy is inhibited by injections of cortisone or hydrocortisone to the fetus (6-8). Knobil and Briggs ( 2 ) , however, reported no increase in fetal adrenal weight if pregnant rats were hypophysectomized prior to adrenalectomy and concluded that the fetal adrenal hypertrophy reflects increased maternal rather than fetal ACTH secretion. Others have demonstrated that stimulation of the maternal adrenal (by cold or with exogenous ACTH) suppressed rather than stimulated fetal adrenal function and these investigators (9) maintain that maternal corticosteroids, but not ACTH, are capable of crossing the placenta. I t is alleged (10) that the source of the relatively high plasma corticosterone levels found in newborn rats is the fetal adrenal itself but other investigators maintain that maternal corticoids normally traverse that placenta at term to exert a restraining influence on fetal ACTH secretion ( 1,6! 11 ) .The possibility that placental transmission 1Supported by Grant .4M-00432 and a Career Research Award (NB-K6-18,536) given to Dr. S. A. D'Angelo by the NIH.of maternal corticoids may result in inhibition of ACTH secretion by the fetal hypophysis has close relevance to accurate interpretation of early postnatal changes which occur in the rat's pituitary-adrenocortical axis. The adrenal gland fails to respond to certain noxious stimuli in early postnatal life. I t is not yet clear whether this ''stress nonresponsive" period ( 1 2 ) in the neonate is due to immaturity of the pituitary ACTH secretory mechanism (13), failure of CRF release from the hypothalamus ( 10) ' or prolongation of corticosterone negative feedback potency on brain and/or pituitary (14). Whether or not it may also reflect a new set of hormonal conditions imposed by the external environment remains to be determined. The present study was directed toward elucidation of this problem by ascertaining the status of ACTH secretion and adrenal function in the newborn of intact and hypophysectomized pregnant rats administered dexamethasone or corticosterone during the last several days of gestation. The results obtained are consistent with the hypothesis that deficiency or excess of circulating levels of adrenocorticoids in the mother induces significant change in ACTH secretion by the fetal pituitary.Materials and methods. Timed-pregnan t rats of the CD strain (Sprague-Dawley derivatives) were supplied by the Charl...

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Dexamethasone and Corticosterone Administration to Pregnant Rats: Effects on Pituitary-Adrenocortical Function in the Newborn

Paul¹,

D'Angelo²

1972

Experimental Biology and Medicine

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“…Certainly the electrolyte levels in the untreated pregnant animals are lower than in the non-pregnant rat and somewhat similar to those found in the non-pregnant animals after treatment with cortisol, suggesting that this might be the case. However, cortisol will readily cross the placental barrier in the rat and enter the foetus (Jones et al 1953). So it would be expected that if there was an increase of cortisol 660…”

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The effect of cortisol on the haematocrit values and serum electrolytes of the adult and foetal rat

Seller¹

1966

The Journal of Physiology

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SUMMARY1. The serum sodium, potassium and chloride levels of the nonpregnant rat, pregnant rat and foetus were estimated under normal circumstances and following the administration of 3 mg/kg cortisol to the non-pregnant and pregnant rat.2. Normally, the electrolytes and haematocrit value ofthe non-pregnant rat and the electrolytes of the foetus were higher than those occurring in the pregnant rat.3. After treatment with cortisol, the sodium, potassium and chloride content of the serum, and the haematocrit value of the non-pregnant rat dropped significantly. There was no change in these values in the pregnant animals, but the foetus showed a significant decrease in sodium, potassium and chloride levels after maternal treatment.

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“…On the other hand, some effects of maternal and exogenous hormonal substances introduced into the fetal circulation have been discussed (Courrier et al, 1951;Jones et al, 1951 and1953;Davis and Plotz, 1954).…”

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Volumetrical Observation on the Influence of Maternal Sham Hypophysectomy on the Fetal Adrenal Gland

Daikoku¹,

Saijo

1964

Endocrinol Japon

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A STUDY OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF MATERNAL AND FETAL ADRENAL GLANDS OF RATS¹^,²

Cited by 42 publications

References 0 publications

Dexamethasone and Corticosterone Administration to Pregnant Rats: Effects on Pituitary-Adrenocortical Function in the Newborn

Dexamethasone and Corticosterone Administration to Pregnant Rats: Effects on Pituitary-Adrenocortical Function in the Newborn

The effect of cortisol on the haematocrit values and serum electrolytes of the adult and foetal rat

Volumetrical Observation on the Influence of Maternal Sham Hypophysectomy on the Fetal Adrenal Gland

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