TY - JOUR
T1 - Dietary L-arginine prevents fetal growth restriction in rats
AU - Vosatka, R. J.
AU - Hassoun, P. M.
AU - Harvey-Wilkes, K. B.
N1 - Funding Information:
From The Floating Hospital for Children at New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Divisions of Neonatology, Genetics, and Critical Care. Supported by the Massachusetts Thoracic Society and the American Lung Associations of Massachusetts and the New England Medical Center Research Fund. Received for publication May 1, 1997; revised June 5, 1997; accepted September 10, 1997. Reprint requests: Robert J. Vosatka, MD, PhD, Columbia University, Box 59A, 630 W. 168th St., New York, NY lO032. Copyright 9 1998 by Mosby, Inc. 0002-9378/98 $5.00 + 0 6/1/86091
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Alterations in maternal plasma arginine concentration accompany normal pregnancy. Nitric oxide is synthesized from L-arginine and influences fetal growth. We hypothesized that L-arginine would influence fetal growth and hypoxia-induced uricemia in a maternal hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction model. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal growth on day 21 of gestation was assessed in timed pregnant Wistar rats with or without exposure to maternal hypobaric hypoxia. Animals exposed to hypoxia received either no supplement or supplementation of drinking water with 0.2% L-arginine, 2% L- arginine, or 2% glycine. On day 21 of gestation, fetuses were delivered by hysterotomy and fetal and placental weights were obtained. Maternal and fetal plasma were assayed for uric acid as an index of tissue hypoxia. Xanthine oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase, precursors of uric acid and reactive oxygen species, were assayed in maternal tissue. Results were analyzed by analysis of variance with correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Exposure of rats on normal diets to hypoxia resulted in a 30% reduction in fetal weights. L-Arginine, 2% or 0.2%, prevented the reduction in fetal weight (p < 0.0001). Isocaloric and isonitrogenous supplementation with glycine did not influence hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction. CONCLUSION: L-Arginine, but not glycine, ameliorates maternal hypoxia- induced fetal growth restriction in the rat.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Alterations in maternal plasma arginine concentration accompany normal pregnancy. Nitric oxide is synthesized from L-arginine and influences fetal growth. We hypothesized that L-arginine would influence fetal growth and hypoxia-induced uricemia in a maternal hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction model. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal growth on day 21 of gestation was assessed in timed pregnant Wistar rats with or without exposure to maternal hypobaric hypoxia. Animals exposed to hypoxia received either no supplement or supplementation of drinking water with 0.2% L-arginine, 2% L- arginine, or 2% glycine. On day 21 of gestation, fetuses were delivered by hysterotomy and fetal and placental weights were obtained. Maternal and fetal plasma were assayed for uric acid as an index of tissue hypoxia. Xanthine oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase, precursors of uric acid and reactive oxygen species, were assayed in maternal tissue. Results were analyzed by analysis of variance with correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Exposure of rats on normal diets to hypoxia resulted in a 30% reduction in fetal weights. L-Arginine, 2% or 0.2%, prevented the reduction in fetal weight (p < 0.0001). Isocaloric and isonitrogenous supplementation with glycine did not influence hypoxia-induced fetal growth restriction. CONCLUSION: L-Arginine, but not glycine, ameliorates maternal hypoxia- induced fetal growth restriction in the rat.
KW - Fetal growth restriction
KW - L-arginine
KW - Nitric oxide
KW - Preeclampsia
KW - Uric acid
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U2 - 10.1016/S0002-9378(98)80007-0
DO - 10.1016/S0002-9378(98)80007-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 9500481
AN - SCOPUS:0031939057
SN - 0002-9378
VL - 178
SP - 242
EP - 246
JO - American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
JF - American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
IS - 2
ER -