FASEB J, 2022; 36 Suppl 1(): , PMID: 35555908
pQCT Analysis of Cortical Bone in Rats Exposed to High Levels of Cortisol in-utero.
Year: 2022
Brown SA
Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN.
Abstract
Unperturbed fetal development is essential for future health of an individual. Previous studies have linked diseases of aging to harmful alterations that happen during fetal development. Given the significant long-term impact that intrauterine environment has on an individual"s life, it was hypothesized that maternal stress during pregnancy will have negative effects on the offspring"s bone density and cross-sectional area. To test this, twenty-eight female and seven male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were purchased and bred to produce 176 offspring. During pregnancy, dams were randomly divided into four groups (n=7, per group) and immobilization stress induced as follows; Group 1 (GW1): immobilization stress on days 1-7 of pregnancy, Group 2 (GW2): on days 8-14, Group 3 (GW3): on days 15-21, Group 4 (Controls): left undisturbed. Maternal cortisol hormone, food intake, and weight gain were monitored during pregnancy. Pups were raised under normal laboratory conditions and sacrificed at ages: 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks to determine the effect of prenatal stress. At necropsy, the femur was removed and preserved for image analysis. Differences among groups were determined by T-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA). P valuesKeywords: Abstract only
GID: 5707; Last update: 17.05.2022
