AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 240, Issue 3 217-E225, Copyright © 1981 by American Physiological Society
Maternal and fetal adrenocortical function in the diabetic rabbit
P. S. Guleff and R. R. Beck
To investigate whether maternal or fetal glucocorticoid secretion is
altered during pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus, in vitro
production of corticosterone (B) and cortisol (F) was measured on day 28 of
gestation in rabbits made alloxan diabetic prior to pregnancy. In addition,
plasma B and F were followed throughout the experimental period. Fetuses of
diabetic mothers were hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic, and mortality was
much higher (18%) than that of control animals (1.5%). No significant
differences were found in maternal plasma B or F during gestation, whereas
F was significantly lower in fetuses of diabetic mothers. In vitro
production of both B and F by maternal and fetal adrenals was lower in the
diabetic animals, and responses to ACTH or insulin added to the incubation
were the same in both groups. These results suggest that the ability of the
adrenal cortex to secrete glucocorticoids may be impaired both in the
mother and fetus when maternal diabetes is present. This could have effects
both on maturational events in the fetus that are accelerated by
glucocorticoids and on the ability to respond to stress.
