AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 261, Issue 6 E758-E763, Copyright © 1991 by American Physiological Society
Maternal ethanol ingestion and somatostatin level and binding in developing rat brain
V. Barrios, M. N. Rodriguez-Sanchez, M. Hernandez and E. Arilla
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Spain.
The effect of maternal ethanol ingestion on 125I-labeled
[Tyr11]somatostatin (SS) binding and somatostatin-like immunoreactivity
(SLI) in the rat frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus of developing
offspring was explored. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were given ethanol in
the drinking water before pregnancy, during gestation, and while nursing,
whereas controls received a standard diet and fresh water ad libitum. In
the ethanol group, food intake decreased as ethanol consumption augmented,
with the ethanol calories comprising greater than 30% of the total energy
intake during pregnancy. Total energy intake was similar for the ethanol
group and normal controls. Maternal alcohol ingestion is associated with an
enhanced SLI level in the frontoparietal cortex and hippocampus on the day
of birth. This study provided evidence of a selective decrease in SS
receptor binding in frontoparietal cortex but not in hippocampus in the 0-
to 10-day-old offspring of the ethanol-fed rats. The SS receptor number
increased from day 0 to 10 in both control and ethanol groups. However, the
affinity appeared to decrease significantly in the ethanol group during
this period. At day 30, no differences were found between offspring of
control and ethanol-treated rats in any of the parameters. These results
suggest that the development of SS receptors in the rat frontoparietal
cortex can be transitorily delayed by maternal ethanol ingestion.
