Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Hypertension
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Hypertension. 2003;41:328-334
Published online before print December 23, 2002, doi: 10.1161/01.HYP.0000049763.51269.51
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Data Supplement
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
41/2/328    most recent
01.HYP.0000049763.51269.51v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ortiz, L. A.
Right arrow Articles by Baum, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ortiz, L. A.
Right arrow Articles by Baum, M.
Right arrowPubmed/NCBI databases
*Compound via MeSH
*Substance via MeSH
Hazardous Substances DB
*DEXAMETHASONE
Medline Plus Health Information
*High Blood Pressure
*Steroids
Related Collections
Right arrow Animal models of human disease
Right arrow Other etiology

(Hypertension. 2003;41:328.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.


Scientific Contributions

Prenatal Dexamethasone Programs Hypertension and Renal Injury in the Rat

Luis A. Ortiz; Albert Quan; Francisco Zarzar; Arthur Weinberg; Michel Baum

From the Departments of Pediatrics (L.A.O., A.Q., F.Z., M.B.), Internal Medicine (M.B.), and Pathology (A.W.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex.

Correspondence to Michel Baum, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75235-9063. E-mail Michel.Baum{at}UTSouthwestern.edu

Dexamethasone is frequently administered to the developing fetus to accelerate pulmonary development. The purpose of the present study was to determine if prenatal dexamethasone programmed a progressive increase in blood pressure and renal injury in rats. Pregnant rats were given either vehicle or 2 daily intraperitoneal injections of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/kg body weight) on gestational days 11 and 12, 13 and 14, 15 and 16, 17 and 18, or 19 and 20. Offspring of rats administered dexamethasone on days 15 and 16 gestation had a 20% reduction in glomerular number compared with control at 6 to 9 months of age (22 527±509 versus 28 050±561, P<0.05), which was comparable to the percent reduction in glomeruli measured at 3 weeks of age. Six- to 9-month old rats receiving prenatal dexamethasone on days 17 and 18 of gestation had a 17% reduction in glomeruli (23 380±587) compared with control rats (P<0.05). Male rats that received prenatal dexamethasone on days 15 and 16, 17 and 18, and 13 and 14 of gestation had elevated blood pressures at 6 months of age; the latter group did not have a reduction in glomerular number. Adult rats given dexamethasone on days 15 and 16 of gestation had more glomeruli with glomerulosclerosis than control rats. This study shows that prenatal dexamethasone in rats results in a reduction in glomerular number, glomerulosclerosis, and hypertension when administered at specific points during gestation. Hypertension was observed in animals that had a reduction in glomeruli as well as in a group that did not have a reduction in glomerular number, suggesting that a reduction in glomerular number is not the sole cause for the development of hypertension.


Key Words: glucocorticoids • hypertension, gestational • glomerular filtration rate • kidney




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
HypertensionHome page
C. P. Bramlage, C. Schlumbohm, C. R. Pryce, S. Mirza, C. Schnell, K. Amann, V. W. Amstrong, F. Eitner, A. Zapf, J. Feldon, et al.
Prenatal Dexamethasone Exposure Does Not Alter Blood Pressure and Nephron Number in the Young Adult Marmoset Monkey
Hypertension, November 1, 2009; 54(5): 1115 - 1122.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
A. Dagan, S. Habib, J. Gattineni, V. Dwarakanath, and M. Baum
Prenatal programming of rat thick ascending limb chloride transport by low-protein diet and dexamethasone
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2009; 297(1): R93 - R99.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Exp PhysiolHome page
A. L. Fowden and A. J. Forhead
Hormones as epigenetic signals in developmental programming
Exp Physiol, June 1, 2009; 94(6): 607 - 625.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
L. Tang, L. C. Carey, J. Bi, N. Valego, X. Sun, P. Deibel, J. Perrott, J. P. Figueroa, M. C. Chappell, and J. C. Rose
Gender differences in the effects of antenatal betamethasone exposure on renal function in adult sheep
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, February 1, 2009; 296(2): R309 - R317.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
K. M. Moritz, R. R. Singh, M. E. Probyn, and K. M. Denton
Developmental programming of a reduced nephron endowment: more than just a baby's birth weight
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, January 1, 2009; 296(1): F1 - F9.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
J. S. Gilbert and M. J. Nijland
Sex differences in the developmental origins of hypertension and cardiorenal disease
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, December 1, 2008; 295(6): R1941 - R1952.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
A. E. Michael and A. T. Papageorghiou
Potential significance of physiological and pharmacological glucocorticoids in early pregnancy
Hum. Reprod. Update, September 1, 2008; 14(5): 497 - 517.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
A. Dagan, H. M. Kwon, V. Dwarakanath, and M. Baum
Effect of renal denervation on prenatal programming of hypertension and renal tubular transporter abundance
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, July 1, 2008; 295(1): F29 - F34.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
V. M. Vehaskari
Programming of hypertension: the nervous kidney
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, July 1, 2008; 295(1): F27 - F28.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HypertensionHome page
N. B. Ojeda, D. Grigore, and B. T. Alexander
Developmental Programming of Hypertension: Insight From Animal Models of Nutritional Manipulation
Hypertension, July 1, 2008; 52(1): 44 - 50.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
Y. Liu, H. van Goor, R. Havinga, J. F. W. Baller, V. W. Bloks, F. R. van der Leij, P. J. J. Sauer, F. Kuipers, G. Navis, and M. H. de Borst
Neonatal dexamethasone administration causes progressive renal damage due to induction of an early inflammatory response
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, April 1, 2008; 294(4): F768 - F776.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HypertensionHome page
F. Salazar, V. Reverte, F. Saez, A. Loria, M. T. Llinas, and F. J. Salazar
Age- and Sodium-Sensitive Hypertension and Sex-Dependent Renal Changes in Rats With a Reduced Nephron Number
Hypertension, April 1, 2008; 51(4): 1184 - 1189.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J EndocrinolHome page
D. O'Regan, C. J Kenyon, J. R Seckl, and M. C Holmes
Prenatal dexamethasone 'programmes' hypotension, but stress-induced hypertension in adult offspring
J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2008; 196(2): 343 - 352.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Physiol.Home page
A. G. Bechtold, K. Vernon, T. Hines, and D. A. Scheuer
Genetic predisposition to hypertension sensitizes borderline hypertensive rats to the hypertensive effects of prenatal glucocorticoid exposure
J. Physiol., January 15, 2008; 586(2): 673 - 684.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Mol EndocrinolHome page
C. Li, Y. Li, Y. Li, H. Liu, Z. Sun, J. Lu, and Y. Zhao
Glucocorticoid repression of human with-no-lysine (K) kinase-4 gene expression is mediated by the negative response elements in the promoter
J. Mol. Endocrinol., January 1, 2008; 40(1): 3 - 12.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
F. Boubred, C. Buffat, J.-M. Feuerstein, L. Daniel, M. Tsimaratos, C. Oliver, M. Lelievre-Pegorier, and U. Simeoni
Effects of early postnatal hypernutrition on nephron number and long-term renal function and structure in rats
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, December 1, 2007; 293(6): F1944 - F1949.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
C. Buffat, F. Boubred, F. Mondon, S. T. Chelbi, J.-M. Feuerstein, M. Lelievre-Pegorier, D. Vaiman, and U. Simeoni
Kidney Gene Expression Analysis in a Rat Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction Reveals Massive Alterations of Coagulation Genes
Endocrinology, November 1, 2007; 148(11): 5549 - 5557.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
J. Stubbe, K. Madsen, F. T. Nielsen, R. K. Bonde, O. Skott, and B. L. Jensen
Postnatal adrenalectomy impairs urinary concentrating ability by increased COX-2 and leads to renal medullary injury
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, September 1, 2007; 293(3): F780 - F789.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
HypertensionHome page
C. S. Wyrwoll, P. J. Mark, and B. J. Waddell
Developmental Programming of Renal Glucocorticoid Sensitivity and the Renin-Angiotensin System
Hypertension, September 1, 2007; 50(3): 579 - 584.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
R. R. Singh, K. M. Moritz, J. F. Bertram, and L. A. Cullen-McEwen
Effects of dexamethasone exposure on rat metanephric development: in vitro and in vivo studies
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, August 1, 2007; 293(2): F548 - F554.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Physiol.Home page
R. R. Singh, L. A. Cullen-McEwen, M. M. Kett, W.-M. Boon, J. Dowling, J. F. Bertram, and K. M. Moritz
Prenatal corticosterone exposure results in altered AT1/AT2, nephron deficit and hypertension in the rat offspring
J. Physiol., March 1, 2007; 579(2): 503 - 513.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
A. Dagan, J. Gattineni, V. Cook, and M. Baum
Prenatal programming of rat proximal tubule Na+/H+ exchanger by dexamethasone
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, March 1, 2007; 292(3): R1230 - R1235.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
H. Dickinson, D. W. Walker, E. M. Wintour, and K. Moritz
Maternal dexamethasone treatment at midgestation reduces nephron number and alters renal gene expression in the fetal spiny mouse
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): R453 - R461.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol.Home page
J. Stubbe, K. Madsen, F. T. Nielsen, O. Skott, and B. L. Jensen
Glucocorticoid impairs growth of kidney outer medulla and accelerates loop of Henle differentiation and urinary concentrating capacity in rat kidney development
Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, October 1, 2006; 291(4): F812 - F822.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
L. L. Woods
Maternal glucocorticoids and prenatal programming of hypertension
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2006; 291(4): R1069 - R1075.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J EndocrinolHome page
P W F Hadoke, R S Lindsay, J R Seckl, B R Walker, and C J Kenyon
Altered vascular contractility in adult female rats with hypertension programmed by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure.
J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2006; 188(3): 435 - 442.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
B. T. Alexander
Fetal programming of hypertension
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2006; 290(1): R1 - R10.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
EndocrinologyHome page
C. S. Wyrwoll, P. J. Mark, T. A. Mori, I. B. Puddey, and B. J. Waddell
Prevention of Programmed Hyperleptinemia and Hypertension by Postnatal Dietary {omega}-3 Fatty Acids
Endocrinology, January 1, 2006; 147(1): 599 - 606.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
L. L. Woods and D. A. Weeks
Prenatal programming of adult blood pressure: role of maternal corticosteroids
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2005; 289(4): R955 - R962.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Physiol.Home page
J. S. Gilbert, A. L. Lang, A. R. Grant, and M. J. Nijland
Maternal nutrient restriction in sheep: hypertension and decreased nephron number in offspring at 9 months of age
J. Physiol., May 15, 2005; 565(1): 137 - 147.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Physiol. Rev.Home page
I. C. Mcmillen and J. S. Robinson
Developmental Origins of the Metabolic Syndrome: Prediction, Plasticity, and Programming
Physiol Rev, April 1, 2005; 85(2): 571 - 633.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
K. M. Moritz, A. Jefferies, E. M. Wintour, and M. Dodic
Fetal renal and blood pressure responses to steroid infusion after early prenatal treatment with dexamethasone
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2005; 288(1): R62 - R66.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
S. McMullen and S. C. Langley-Evans
Maternal low-protein diet in rat pregnancy programs blood pressure through sex-specific mechanisms
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, January 1, 2005; 288(1): R85 - R90.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
D. O'Regan, C. J. Kenyon, J. R. Seckl, and M. C. Holmes
Glucocorticoid exposure in late gestation in the rat permanently programs gender-specific differences in adult cardiovascular and metabolic physiology
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, November 1, 2004; 287(5): E863 - E870.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]