Intrauterine growth restriction modifies the normal gene expression in kidney from rabbit fetuses

Horacio Figueroa, Mauricio Lozano, Cristian Suazo, Elisenda Eixarch, Sebastián Illanes, Juan Eduardo Carreño, Sandra Villanueva, Edgar Hernández-Andrade, Eduard Gratacós, Carlos Ernesto Irarrazabal Muñoz*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the effect of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on fetal kidneys. The IUGR was induced by uteroplacental vessels ligature in a model of pregnant rabbit. We centralized the study in the gene expression of essential proteins for fetal kidney development and kidney protection against hypoxia, osmotic stress, and kidney injury. The gene expression of HIF-1α, NFAT5, IL-1β, NGAL, and ATM were studied by qRT-PCR and Western blot in kidneys from control and IUGR fetuses. Experimental IUGR fetuses were significantly smaller than the control animals (39 vs. 48. g, p < 0.05). The number of glomeruli was decreased in IUGR kidneys, without morphological alterations. IUGR increased the gene expression of HIF-1α, NFAT5, IL-1β, NGAL, and ATM (p < 0.05) in kidneys of fetuses undergoing IUGR, suggesting that fetal blood flow restriction produce alterations in gene expression in fetal kidneys.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)899-904
Number of pages6
JournalEarly Human Development
Volume88
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2012

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by FAI-MED 003‐09 and FAI‐MED 001‐10 from the University of Los Andes—Chile . FONDECYT-1100885 , FONDECYT-1110869 and FONDECYT-1080373 . E.E. was supported by an Emili Letang fellowship by the Hospital Clinic and a Rio Hortega grant from the Carlos III Institute of Health (Spain) ( CM08/00105 ).

Keywords

  • Hypoxia
  • IUGR
  • Inflammation
  • Osmotic stress
  • Rabbit

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