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

Abstract

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 experimental 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 6 th 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. Prolonged 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.

Protective effect of NeuroEPO in the reproduction of diabetic rats.

“…The DV group, in addition to developing severe hyperglycemia maintained during the experiment, presented fewer implantations and embryos, as well as an increase in preimplantation losses, which are characteristic of the model used, widely used in diabetes and pregnancy studies 22,23,26,32 . In this model it is shown that the alterations of reproduction depend on maternal hyperglycemia and not on streptozotocin; this substance is eliminated from circulation a few hours after its administration 31 , so it does not affect reproduction when administered before gestation.…”

“…The research was developed in the Department of Biochemistry of the Institute of Basic and Preclinical Sciences "Victoria de Girón", in the period from 2019 to 2021. In each group, a number of animals similar to the smallest number used in previous experimental studies of diabetes and pregnancy in rats was used 22,23 . The project was approved by the Scienti c Council and the Research Ethics Committee of the institution.…”