Novel intrauterine growth retardation model: effects of maternal subtotal nephrectomy on neonates

Shoji Ogawa1, Tamaki Yana1, Tomohiro Kondo1

  • 1Department of Integrated Structural Biosciences, Division of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Biosciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, Japan.

Changes in body weight (BW), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and localization of renin in the kidneys of neonates born to normal mothers (C neonates) or to five-sixths (5/6) nephrectomized (2/3 left kidney and right kidney) mothers (Nx neonates) were studied. Maternal 5/6 nephrectomy caused weight loss in neonates but no differences in SBP or renin localization. Culling Nx neonates to a litter of 3 at 1 day after birth resulted in growth catching up with C neonates from 3 weeks old and increases in both SBP and renin-positive cells in neonatal kidney. These findings revealed that maternal 5/6 nephrectomy results in low-birth-weight neonates and that these neonates are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome by catch-up growth.