Cerebral metabolic response to hypoglycemia in severe intrauterine growth-retarded rat pups

This study was to examine the effects of hypoglycemia on the brain metabolism of severe intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) rat pups. IUGR pups were produced by ligating one of the uterine arteries of the dams. The pups on the opposite uterine horn were used as the control. They were delivered by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early human development 1998-08, Vol.52 (1), p.1-11
Main Authors: Lin, Chyi-Her, Gelardi, Nancy L, Cha, Chung-Ja M, Oh, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism
Animals
ATP
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Brain - metabolism
Brain - physiopathology
Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy
Female
Fetal Growth Retardation - metabolism
Glucose - metabolism
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Hypoglycemia
Intrauterine growth retardation
Lactate
Lactic Acid - metabolism
Medical sciences
Pregnancy
Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Summary:This study was to examine the effects of hypoglycemia on the brain metabolism of severe intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) rat pups. IUGR pups were produced by ligating one of the uterine arteries of the dams. The pups on the opposite uterine horn were used as the control. They were delivered by cesarean section on day 21 and received regular insulin 5 units/kg or equivalent volume of normal saline at 40 min of age. The plasma glucose, lactate, blood gas values and brain glucose, lactate, ATP contents were determined at 5 and 100 min of age. The IUGR pups had higher plasma and brain lactate concentrations than the control throughout the study period. They had lower plasma glucose, oxygen and pH values, brain glucose and ATP contents than control at 5 min of age. Despite insulin-induced hypoglycemia, brain ATP contents of the IUGR recovered to normal levels at 100 min of age when the oxygenation and pH improved. These data indicate that the brain energy metabolism of IUGR rat pups was suppressed by asphyxia and hypoglycemia. However, even in the continuing presence of hypoglycemia, brain energy metabolism returned to normal. The recovery is probably related to better oxygenation and utilization of alternative energy fuels, such as lactate.
ISSN:0378-3782
1872-6232
DOI:10.1016/S0378-3782(97)00124-2