The carotid bodies influence growth responses to moderate maternal undernutrition in late‐gestation fetal sheep

• Published in: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Vol. 115; no. 2; pp. 261 - 268
• Main Authors: Burrage, D, Green, LR, Moss, TJM, Sloboda, DM, Nitsos, I, Newnham, JP, Hanson, MA
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2008; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adrenal Glands - embryology; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - physiology; Brain - embryology; Carotid body; Carotid Sinus - embryology; Carotid Sinus - innervation; Carotid Sinus - surgery; Comparative studies; Diet, Reducing - adverse effects; Electrolytes - blood; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Fetal Development - physiology; fetal growth; fetus; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hydrocortisone - metabolism; Insulin - metabolism; Liver - embryology; Lung - embryology; Malnutrition - embryology; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Nutrition; Organ Size - physiology; Other nutritional diseases (malnutrition, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies...); Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - etiology; Prenatal development; Random Allocation; Sheep; Late; Growth; Gynecology; Nutrition disorder; Obstetrics; Pregnancy; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mother; Animal; Fetus; Sheep; Artiodactyla; Carotid body; Malnutrition; Ungulata
• ISSN: 1470-0328; 1471-0528
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01607.x

Objective  To determine the role of carotid sinus innervation on differential fetal organ growth during maternal nutrient restriction in late pregnancy. Design  Randomised controlled study. Setting  University research facility. Sample  Thirty‐nine Merino ewes. Methods  At 113 days gestational age (dGA), fetuses were bilaterally carotid sinus denervated or sham denervated. From 118 dGA, the surgery groups were subdivided into two dietary groups, and their ewes were fed 100% of nutrient requirements or 50% until tissue collection at 140 dGA. This provided four groups (sham/control diet, sham/restricted diet, denervated/control diet and denervated/restricted diet). Main outcome measures  Fetal organ weights and hormone levels and maternal weight change during the dietary restriction. Results  Adrenal glands were larger in sham/restricted diet fetuses than in sham/control diet or denervated/restricted diet fetuses (P < 0.05). Fetal adrenal weight and brain‐to‐liver weight ratio were positively related to maternal weight change during the nutritional challenge in sham fetuses only (P < 0.05). Fetal liver weight was negatively related to maternal weight change during nutritional challenge in sham fetuses only (P < 0.05). Conclusions  We have shown a reduction in liver growth but sparing of adrenal growth in response to moderate maternal undernutrition, which is dependent on intact carotid body innervation. This suggests a new role for the carotid bodies in the control of differential organ growth during such undernutrition.