Permanent cardiac sarcomere changes in a rabbit model of intrauterine growth restriction.

TitlePermanent cardiac sarcomere changes in a rabbit model of intrauterine growth restriction.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2014
AuthorsTorre, I, González-Tendero, A, García-Cañadilla, P, Crispi, F, Garcia-Garcia, F, Bijnens, B, Iruretagoyena, I, Dopazo, J, Amat-Roldán, I, Gratacós, E
JournalPLoS One
Volume9
Issue11
Paginatione113067
Date Published2014
ISSN1932-6203
KeywordsAnimals; biomarkers; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Disease Models, Animal; Echocardiography; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Fetal Heart; Fetus; Gene Expression Profiling; Organ Size; Placenta; Pregnancy; Rabbits; Sarcomeres
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) induces fetal cardiac remodelling and dysfunction, which persists postnatally and may explain the link between low birth weight and increased cardiovascular mortality in adulthood. However, the cellular and molecular bases for these changes are still not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that IUGR is associated with structural and functional gene expression changes in the fetal sarcomere cytoarchitecture, which remain present in adulthood.METHODS AND RESULTS: IUGR was induced in New Zealand pregnant rabbits by selective ligation of the utero-placental vessels. Fetal echocardiography demonstrated more globular hearts and signs of cardiac dysfunction in IUGR. Second harmonic generation microscopy (SHGM) showed shorter sarcomere length and shorter A-band and thick-thin filament interaction lengths, that were already present in utero and persisted at 70 postnatal days (adulthood). Sarcomeric M-band (GO: 0031430) functional term was over-represented in IUGR fetal hearts.CONCLUSION: The results suggest that IUGR induces cardiac dysfunction and permanent changes on the sarcomere.

DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0113067
Alternate JournalPLoS One
PubMed ID25402351
PubMed Central IDPMC4234642