Ontogeny of corticosteroid-binding globulin biosynthesis in the rat

In plasma, glucocorticoids are transported by corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), which is synthesized primarily in the liver. Plasma levels of maternal and fetal CBG fluctuate during gestation, and this may be due to changes in the biosynthesis and/or clearance of the protein. We have, therefore, studied the ontogeny of CBG biosynthesis in the rat by using a solution hybridization assay to measure hepatic CBG mRNA levels. The results indicate that the concentration of CBG mRNA is exceptionally high in 15-day-old fetal livers (55.1 pg CBG mRNA/micrograms total RNA), but declines to very low levels at birth (day 21). During the same period, CBG mRNA levels in maternal livers remained relatively constant (18.9-23.1 pg CBG mRNA/micrograms total RNA). Hepatic CBG mRNA levels were barely detectable 1 week after birth, and a sex difference was apparent by 2 weeks of age, with higher levels in female livers. Although adult CBG mRNA levels were attained by 3 weeks of age, serum CBG concentrations did not reach adult values for an additional 3 weeks. To determine whether age-related differences in the clearance of CBG are responsible for this, CBG from infant or adult animals was radiolabeled and administered iv to infant and adult rats. When this was done, the half-life of CBG in infants (approximately 6.9 h) was consistently less than that in adults (approximately 14.5 h) regardless of the source of the labeled CBG, and we conclude that variations in CBG biosynthesis and clearance may influence glucocorticoid action during fetal and postnatal development.