Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: It is known that mother’s stress during prenatal period of gestation provokes the firm long-lasting disturbances of fetal functional systems. The consequences of stress within early pregnance (SEP) are still researched poorly.

Aim: The aim of study was to evaluate hormonal and behaviour features in females – offspring of rats with SEP.

Material and methods: For SEP creation the Wistar rat females were transferred daily into another rat’s association within 2nd–8th days of gestation. At 12 months old the intact offspring (n=32) randomly divided into groups which were killed before (G-1) and after (G-1¹) functional tests. Correspondingly G-2 and G-2¹ were formed from stressed offspring. Corticosterone, leptin, E₂, testosterone, progesterone were determined by the RIA method. Food consumption was determined by placing 200 g of fodder and weighing the residual food before and after 24 h of fasting. Perirenal, gonadal and mesenteric fat pads were removed and weighed. Data were performed statistically.

Results: It has been established that 80% animals from G-2 were heavier by 15–25% than G-1. G-2 corticosterone was not distinguished from G-1 but after 24 h of fasting corticosterone was expressive increased (P<0.05, G-2¹ vs G-2, G-1, G-1¹). Offspring from G-2 had reduced leptin level after fasting and normal level through 24 h after termination of food deprivation. G-2¹ food consumption was increased by 15–17% than in G-1¹ within 1–24 h after fasting. Weight of mesenteric fat G-2¹ increased by 5% through 24 h after termination of food deprivation. The stressed offspring demonstrated a high anxiety level in elevated plus-maze and decrease locomotor activity in the open field. Their testosterone level was increased by 7–12%, but E₂ and progesterone were decreased.

Conclusion: Our findings evidence that fetus stress in the first early gestation induced negative alterations of hormonal status and behaviour in of offspring and leads to the metabolic diseases in adulthood.