Hypothalamo-pituitary disconnection of the late-gestation ovine fetus results in profound changes in cortisol secretion that are not reflected in commensurate changes in adrenocorticotropin secretion

Endocrinology
B J CannyJ D Veldhuis

Abstract

A prepartum increase in fetal glucocorticoid concentrations is essential for the perinatal transition to extrauterine life for many mammalian species. In the case of the sheep, this increase in cortisol is also the trigger for parturition, and depends upon an intact hypothalamo-pituitary unit. Fetal sheep that have undergone hypothalamo-pituitary disconnection (HPD) fail to have a prepartum cortisol surge or initiate labor, despite apparently normal fetal ACTH concentrations in late gestation. We have investigated whether a defect exists in the regulation of pulsatile neurohormone secretion in the pituitaryadrenal axis of the HPD sheep fetus, by comparing immunoreactive (ir) ACTH and cortisol secretory dynamics in intact and HPD fetuses at 126 and 145 days of gestation (normal gestation length, 147 days). The fetal surgery was conducted at 115 days of gestation. Blood samples were collected at 5-min intervals for 2 h on each experimental day, and the resulting irACTH and cortisol concentrations were analyzed by multiple-parameter deconvolution and cross-correlation analysis. Basal irACTH secretion was less (P < 0.01) in HPD fetuses than intact fetuses at 126 days, but it had recovered by 145 days. There were no differences in i...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 29, 2005·Developmental Psychobiology·Massimo Bardi, Michael A Huffman
Feb 16, 2006·American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism·Luke C CareyJames C Rose
May 15, 2002·American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism·Laura NardoHazel H Szeto
Mar 1, 2003·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Sharla F YoungJames C Rose
Jun 18, 2002·American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism·Alison C HollowayJohn R G Challis

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