PMID- 17983648
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080320
LR  - 20131121
IS  - 0093-691X (Print)
IS  - 0093-691X (Linking)
VI  - 69
IP  - 3
DP  - 2008 Feb
TI  - Repeated administrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone during late gestation in 
      pigs: maternal cortisol response and effects on fetal HPA axis and brain 
      neurotransmitter systems.
PG  - 312-22
AB  - The present study examined the effects of repeated adrenocorticotropic hormone 
      (ACTH) administrations to sows during late gestation on 
      hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and brain neurotransmitter 
      systems in their fetuses. ACTH (100 IU per animal, Synacthen Depot, n=6) or 
      saline (n=5) was administered intramuscularly to sows every 2nd day from 
      gestational day (GD) 85 to GD 101. Blood samples were taken from sows repeatedly 
      within 12h after ACTH application on GD 85 and GD 101. On GD 105, fetuses were 
      recovered under general anaesthesia for the collection of blood and brain 
      samples. Plasma cortisol concentrations in sows increased significantly within 2h 
      after ACTH application and returned to control levels after 10h post-application, 
      showing a similar response at the beginning and at the end of the 16-day 
      stimulation period. On GD 101, a significant increase of plasma glucose and 
      insulin concentrations was found in sows after administration of ACTH and after a 
      following feeding time. Number and body weight of fetuses were not affected by 
      the maternal ACTH treatment. Cortisol concentrations in the umbilical vein were 
      significantly decreased in fetuses from ACTH sows and a similar trend was 
      observed in the umbilical artery and in the vena cava cranialis. Glucocorticoid 
      receptor (GR) binding in hippocampus and hypothalamus did not differ between 
      treatments. However, in hippocampus, serotonergic activity was increased in 
      fetuses from ACTH-treated mothers as shown by significantly elevated 
      5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels. In conclusion, repeated administrations of 
      ACTH during late gestation resulted in a reproducible cortisol response of sows 
      and reduced cortisol concentrations in the fetal umbilical vein after the 
      treatment period. Although the number of sows used in this experiment was low and 
      differences between treatments were limited these findings indicate that 
      excessive glucocorticoid exposure during gestation alters serotonergic activity 
      in hippocampus of fetuses and may affect the emotional reactivity later in life.
FAU - Otten, W
AU  - Otten W
AD  - Behavioural Physiology Research Unit, Research Institute for the Biology of Farm 
      Animals, FBN Dummerstorf, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany. 
      otten@fbn-dummerstorf.de
FAU - Kanitz, E
AU  - Kanitz E
FAU - Tuchscherer, M
AU  - Tuchscherer M
FAU - Brussow, K-P
AU  - Brussow KP
FAU - Nurnberg, G
AU  - Nurnberg G
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20071105
PL  - United States
TA  - Theriogenology
JT  - Theriogenology
JID - 0421510
RN  - 0 (Biogenic Monoamines)
RN  - 0 (Blood Glucose)
RN  - 0 (Insulin)
RN  - 0 (Neurotransmitter Agents)
RN  - 0 (Receptors, Glucocorticoid)
RN  - 9002-60-2 (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone)
RN  - WI4X0X7BPJ (Hydrocortisone)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adrenal Glands/drug effects/*embryology
MH  - Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/*administration & dosage
MH  - Animals
MH  - Biogenic Monoamines/analysis
MH  - Blood Glucose/analysis
MH  - Brain/drug effects/*embryology
MH  - Brain Chemistry/drug effects
MH  - Female
MH  - Gestational Age
MH  - Hydrocortisone/*blood
MH  - Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/drug effects/*embryology
MH  - Insulin/blood
MH  - Kinetics
MH  - Male
MH  - Maternal-Fetal Exchange
MH  - Neurotransmitter Agents/physiology
MH  - Pregnancy
MH  - Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism
MH  - Sex Characteristics
MH  - Swine/embryology/*physiology
MH  - Umbilical Arteries
MH  - Umbilical Veins
EDAT- 2007/11/07 09:00
MHDA- 2008/03/21 09:00
CRDT- 2007/11/07 09:00
PHST- 2007/01/25 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2007/09/19 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2007/09/23 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2007/11/07 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/03/21 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2007/11/07 09:00 [entrez]
AID - S0093-691X(07)00594-8 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2007.09.025 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Theriogenology. 2008 Feb;69(3):312-22. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2007.09.025. 
      Epub 2007 Nov 5.