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Instrumentation of Near-term Fetal Sheep for Multivariate Chronic Non-anesthetized Recordings
Published on: October 25, 2015
Fetal substrate uptake during increased ovine fetal cortisol concentration
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
The American Journal of Physiology
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Fetal hypercortisolemia (high cortisol levels) reduces the uptake of amino acids, altering nutrient utilization and decreasing overall substrate uptake in sheep fetuses. This impacts fetal growth and development.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Medicine
- Fetal Physiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Corticosteroids can negatively impact fetal development.
- The effect of corticosteroids on fetal substrate uptake requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if fetal hypercortisolemia affects the uptake of specific metabolic substrates (glucose, lactate, alpha-amino nitrogen).
- To assess the impact of altered substrate uptake on fetal metabolic rate.
Main Methods:
- Infusion of hydrocortisone in seven late-gestation sheep fetuses to induce hypercortisolemia.
- Measurement of exogenous uptake of glucose, lactate, and alpha-amino nitrogen.
- Calculation of fetal metabolic rate and substrate contribution.
Main Results:
- Hydrocortisone infusion significantly increased fetal cortisol levels.
- Fetal metabolic rate and uptake of glucose and lactate remained unchanged.
- Uptake of alpha-amino nitrogen significantly decreased, as did its contribution to metabolic rate.
- Overall placental substrate uptake decreased, impacting the proportion of fetal metabolic rate supported.
Conclusions:
- Fetal hypercortisolemia alters the types of oxidative substrates utilized by the fetus.
- Total fetal substrate uptake is reduced under conditions of elevated cortisol.
- These changes occur rapidly, within hours of increased cortisol exposure.
