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Hypoxia Induced Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) in the Rat
Author(s) -
Winters Cody Allen,
Arroyo Juan Alberto
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.715.10
Subject(s) - trophoblast , conceptus , placenta , hypoxia (environmental) , biology , fetus , intrauterine growth restriction , andrology , endocrinology , medicine , apoptosis , immunostaining , immunohistochemistry , pregnancy , immunology , chemistry , organic chemistry , oxygen , biochemistry , genetics
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a significant obstetric complication that affects up to 8% of all pregnancies. It is known that the IUGR fetus and newborn are at significant risk for morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, studies have shown a correlation between IUGR and the adult offset of hypertension and coronary heart disease. A number of placental abnormalities have been described in IUGR including an increase in trophoblast apoptosis and aberrant trophoblast invasion. The objective of this project is to develop and characterize a new hypoxia induced model of IUGR. Rats were treated with hypoxia (9%) for 4 days. At the time of necropsy placental, fetal and conceptus numbers were recorded. Immunohistochemistry was done to determine to level of trophoblast invasion and apoptotic molecules for the invasive trophoblast cells. Western blot was used to determine apoptotic proteins activation in the placenta. We observed: 1) decreased placental (21%) and fetal (24%) weights (p<0.05); 2) no significant differences in conceptus numbers; 3) decreased trophoblast invasion as measured by cytokeratin 7 immunostaining; 4) increased trophoblast active caspase 3 (25%) and an increased trophoblast XIAP (23%) protein (p<0.05). We conclude that hypoxia treatment to pregnant rats at mid‐gestation induces IUGR. This was coupled with an increase in apoptosis in both the placenta and mesometrial compartment of the treated animals and a decreased in trophoblast invasion. This model will give some avenues for the study placental development prior to term during IUGR.