Abstract
Delayed maturation of lung and placenta of fetuses from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats is associated with decreased binding of EGF to membranes prepared from these organs. In order to examine the hypothesis that substrate supply is important in mediating these alterations, we induced intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) via unilateral ligation of the inferior uterine artery on day 17 of gestation (term=22). There was a significant reduction in mean weights of body, placenta and lung (29%, 14% and 38% respectively) in fetuses on day 20, as compared to controls from the contralateral uterine horn. Caloric restriction in this model was reflected by significantly decreased glycogen content of IUGR placentas (29±2 vs. 35±2 μg/mg protein; mean±SE; p<.05) and lungs (332±53 vs. 440±27 pg/mg protein; mean±SE; p<.05). The lungs of IUGR fetuses were morphologically more mature with thinner alveolar walls and an increased ratio of air space density to total tissue (.45±.03 vs. .27±.02; mean±SE; p<.005), but there was no significant difference in whole lung phospholipid synthesis. Specific binding of EGF to placenta membrane was significantly increased in IUGR fetuses (23.4±1.7 vs. 18.1±1.6 % binding/mg protein; mean±SE; p<.05) and correlated with the extent of placental growth restriction (r=.601; p<.01). These changes, which are the opposite of those observed in fetuses of diabetic rats, suggest that nutrient availability influences the timing of organ maturation late in gestation, and its effect may be mediated through tissue binding of endogenous EGF.
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Lawrence, S., Sissom, J., Stenzel, W. et al. ACCELERATED ORGAN MATURATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED BINDING OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR (EGF) IN IUGR PREGNANCIES. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 217 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00305
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00305