Intrauterine growth restriction is associated with persistent juxtamedullary expression of renin in the fetal kidney

• Published in: Kidney international Vol. 55; no. 2; pp. 424 - 429
• Main Authors: Kingdom, John C.P., Hayes, Mark, Mcqueen, James, Howatson, Allan G., Lindop, George B.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.02.1999; Nature Publishing
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Embryonic and Fetal Development - physiology; Fetal Death - complications; Fetal Growth Retardation - complications; Fetal Growth Retardation - embryology; Fetus - anatomy & histology; Fetus - cytology; Fetus - metabolism; Fetus - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gestational Age; growth retardation; Humans; hypertension; Kidney - embryology; kidney development; Kidney Glomerulus - embryology; Kidney Medulla - embryology; Kidneys; Medical sciences; neonate kidney; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; prenatal environment; Renin - metabolism; renin gene expression; Tissue Distribution; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Vertebrates: urinary system; growth retardation; renin gene expression; kidney development; neonate kidney; prenatal environment; hypertension; Hypertension; Immunohistochemistry; Renal function; Cardiovascular disease; Experimental study; In utero; Kidney; Growth retardation; Organogenesis; Renin angiotensin system; Urinary system; Autopsy; Complication; Fetus; Physiology
• ISSN: 0085-2538; 1523-1755
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1755.1999.00295.x

Intrauterine growth restriction is associated with persistent juxtamedullary expression of renin in the fetal kidney. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been linked to impaired renal function and hypertension, suggesting that an adverse prenatal environment could alter kidney development and renin production. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were employed to localize renin-containing cells (RCCs) in the deep, middle, and superficial zones of autopsy kidney sections, in parallel with histologic maturation, from unexplained stillborn fetuses of normal weight (N = 26) and stillborn fetuses with IUGR (N = 17). In the control group, the number of RCC per 100 glomeruli in the deep zone decreased with advancing gestation from 40 at 20weeks gestation to five at term (P < 0.001), whereas the opposite change was found in the superficial zone (increase from 5 per 100 to 55 per 100; P < 0.001). In the IUGR group, the density of RCCs in both the superficial and deep zones was similar to the control group at 20weeks, and no shift in renin gene expression was observed as gestation advanced. Histologic maturation was unaltered. Renin gene expression persists and predominates in the deep renal cortex of the stillborn IUGR fetus, and could contribute to the pathogenesis of neonatal oliguria and/or hypertension during postnatal life.