Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2001) 2 P55

SFE2001 Poster Presentations Growth and development (10 abstracts)

IMPACT OF MATERNAL NUTRIENT RESTRICTION IN EARLY TO MID GESTATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLASMA CORTISOL AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN LATER LIFE

G Gopalakrishnan 1 , S Pearce 1 , J Dandrea 1 , A Mostyn 1 , RM Walker 2 , MM Ramsay 1 , T Stephenson 1 & ME Symonds 1


1School of Human Development, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK; 2School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.


Introduction: In sheep, modest maternal nutrient restriction over the period of rapid placental growth followed by normal feeding to term results in offspring with a larger placenta and increased expression of the glucocorticoid receptor in a range of tissues. The aim of the present study was to determine whether this subsequently alters the relationship between basal cortisol and blood pressure in later life.

Methods: Fourteen Welsh Mountain ewes were individually housed from 28 days gestation. Six ewes were NR, these consumed 3.5 MJ of metabolisable energy (ME) per day (60% of ME requirements for maintenance and growth of the conceptus) until 80 days gestation, with 8 controls (C) consuming 6.8-7.5 MJ/day. After 80 days gestation, until term (147 days), all animals consumed 6.8-7.5 MJ/day, sufficient to fully meet their ME requirements. At 6 months of age, a carotid artery and jugular vein were surgically catheterised to allow subsequent measurement of basal blood pressure and blood sampling.

Results: There was no difference in basal plasma cortisol between groups (NR 19.7 + 5.1; C 21.7 + 4.2 nmol/l), but lambs born to NR ewes had lower blood pressure for which a positive correlation with plasma cortisol (r2=0.75; P<0.026) was observed. This was not apparent in controls (r2=0.04; NS).

Conclusion: Nutrient restriction between early to mid gestation results in offspring with altered blood pressure responsiveness to cortisol which may contribute to compromised blood pressure sensitivity in later life.

G Gopalakrishnan was supported by a British Heart Foundation studentship.

Volume 2

192nd Meeting of the Society for Endocrinology

Society for Endocrinology 

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