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LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTS DURING DEVELOPMENT: EFFECTS ON ADULTHOOD IN RATS EXPOSED TO TOXICANTS OR UNDERNUTRITION IN UTERO.
Citation:
ROGERS, J. M., C. S. LAU, N. CHERNOFF, E. J. MASSARO, B. E. GREY, AND J. NORWOOD. LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTS DURING DEVELOPMENT: EFFECTS ON ADULTHOOD IN RATS EXPOSED TO TOXICANTS OR UNDERNUTRITION IN UTERO. Presented at Congress of the International Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Society, Utrecht, NETHERLANDS, September 13 - 16, 2006.
Description:
Studies have shown correlations between in utero and early life environments and diseases later in life, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, schizophrenia, early onset chronic renal failure, cancer and compromised repro-duction. Current developmental toxicology studies do not assess long term health in offspring. We sought to determine if toxicant exposure of pregnant rodents would have long-term health effects on offspring. Methods: We exposed pregnant rats to perfluorooctane sulfonate, atrazine or dexamethasone in regimens designed to result in reduced birth weight. Another group was subjected to undernutrition. After birth, each group was subdivided into large litter (n = 12) or small (n = 6), and health outcomes of offspring was monitored in adulthood. Results: Maternal exposure to drug, chemicals or under-nutrition resulted in lower birth weight; recovery of body weight was noted, with those in small litters recovering sooner. Male offspring had higher blood pressure than controls as early as seven weeks of age, while female offspring did not exhibit elevated blood pressure until later, 37 weeks of age. Rats reared in small litters had slightly higher blood pressure than those reared in large. We have also measured serum glucose and insulin responses after glucose challenge of offspring, and results will be reported. Conclusions: These studies indicate that elevated blood pressure may be a common sequela of prenatal toxicant exposure. Ongoing studies are designed to elucidate the potential for early chemical exposure to affect adult health and disease susceptibility.