Abstract
We induced chronic hyperinsulinemia by continuous intravenous infusion of insulin (0.24 ± 0.4 U/Kg/hr, M±SE) into 5 chronically catheterised fetal lambs from 112 through 137 days gestation. Serum insulin levels in these fetuses (95 ± 10 μU/ml) were greater than in 5 untreated chronically catheterised control fetuses of the same gestational age (10 ± 1 μU/ml, p < 0.001) and in the mothers (38 ± 6 μU/ml, p < 0.001). Serum glucose levels were lower in the insulin treated fetuses (10 ± 1 mg/dl) than in the control fetuses (19 ± 1 mg/dl, p < 0.01) and in the mothers (60 ± 3 mg/dl, p < 0.001). Surface active material (SAM), assayed on a surface balance, began to appear in tracheal fluid of control fetuses at 119 days and was present in all 5 controls at 125 day gestation. SAM did not appear in the tracheal fluid of insulin treated fetuses until 127 days, and did not appear at all in 3 of them. SAM flux was significantly reduced in the tracheal fluid of insulin treated fetuses (1 ± 0 μg/Kg/hr) in comparison with control fetuses (18 ± 3 μg/Kg/hr, p < 0.01).
We conclude that chronic hyperinsulinemia reduces SAM flux in tracheal fluid of fetal lambs. We speculate that this effect may be partially mediated by a reduced substrate (glucose) availability for SAM phospholipid synthesis and/or secretion.
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Warburton, D., Lew, C., Platzker, A. et al. 301 PRIMARY HYPERINSULINEMIA REDUCES SURFACE ACTIVE MATERIAL FLUX IN TRACHEAL FLUID OF FETAL LAMBS. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 490 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00312
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00312