Ovine surfactant protein cDNAs: use in studies on fetal lung growth and maturation after prolonged hypoxemia

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology 2000-04, Vol.278 (4), p.754-L764
• Main Authors: Braems, Geert A, Yao, Li-Juan, Inchley, Kevin, Brickenden, Anne, Han, Victor K. M, Grolla, Allen, Challis, John R. G, Possmayer, Fred
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence - genetics; Animals; Apoproteins - genetics; Base Sequence - genetics; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Fetal Diseases - physiopathology; Fetal Organ Maturity; Fetus - embryology; Fetus - physiology; Hypoxia - physiopathology; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Proteins - genetics; Lung - embryology; Molecular Probes; Molecular Sequence Data; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; Pulmonary Surfactants - genetics; Pulmonary Surfactants - metabolism; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Sheep - embryology; Somatomedins - genetics; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1040-0605; 1522-1504
• DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.2000.278.4.L754

Departments of 1  Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 5  Biochemistry, and 6  Pediatrics, 2  Medical Research Council Group in Fetal and Neonatal Health and Development, 3  Lawson Research Institute, and 4  London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5A5; and 7  Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8 cDNAs for ovine surfactant-associated protein (SP) A, SP-B, and SP-C have been cloned and shown to possess strong similarity to cDNAs for surfactant apoproteins in other species. These reagents were employed to examine the effect of fetal hypoxia on the induction of surfactant apoprotein expression in the fetal lamb. Postnatal lung function is dependent on adequate growth and maturation during fetal development. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I and IGF-II, which are present in all fetal tissues studied, possess potent mitogenic and proliferative actions, and their effects can be modulated by IGF-specific binding proteins (IGFBPs). Hypoxia can lead to increases in circulating cortisol and catecholamines that can influence lung maturation. Therefore, the effects of mild hypoxia in chronically catheterized fetal lambs at gestational days 126 - 130 and 134 - 136 (term 145 days) on the expression of pulmonary surfactant apoproteins and IGFBPs were examined. Mild hypoxia for 48 h resulted in an increase in plasma cortisol that was more pronounced at later gestation, and in these animals, there was a twofold increase in SP-A mRNA. SP-B mRNA levels also increased twofold, but this was not significant. SP-C mRNA was not altered. No significant changes in apoprotein mRNA were observed with the younger fetuses. However, these younger animals selectively exhibited reduced IGFBP-5 mRNA levels. IGF-I mRNA was also reduced at 126-130 days, although this conclusion is tentative due to low abundance. IGF-II levels were not affected at either gestational age. We conclude that these data suggest that mild prolonged fetal hypoxia produces alterations that could affect fetal cellular differentiation early in gestation and can induce changes consistent with lung maturation closer to term. complementary deoxyribonucleic acid; cloning; fetal lamb; pulmonary surfactant; insulin-like growth factors; insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5; messenger ribonucleic acid; glucocorticoids; differentiation; respiratory distress syndrome