HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 292/2/E494    most recent 00269.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gatford, K. L. Articles by Owens, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gatford, K. L. Articles by Owens, J. A.

Acute ethanol exposure in pregnancy alters the insulin-like growth factor axis of fetal and maternal sheep

¹Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide; and ²Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

Submitted 6 June 2006 ; accepted in final form 18 September 2006

Maternal ethanol intake during pregnancy impairs fetal growth, but mechanisms are not clearly defined. Reduced IGF abundance or bioavailability in the fetus and/or mother may contribute to this growth restriction. We hypothesized that an episode of acute ethanol exposure, mimicking binge drinking would restrict fetal growth and perturb the maternal and fetal IGF axes. Pregnant sheep were infused intravenously with saline or ethanol (1 g/kg maternal wt) over 1 h, on days 116, 117, and 118 of gestation (start of 1st infusion = time 0, term is 147 days). Maternal and fetal plasma IGF and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP) concentrations were measured before and after each infusion. Compared with controls, ethanol exposure reduced fetal weight at day 120 by 19%, transiently reduced maternal plasma IGF-I (–35%) at 30 h, and decreased fetal plasma IGF-II (–28%) from 24 to 54 h after the first infusion. Ethanol exposure did not alter maternal or fetal plasma concentrations of IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3, measured by Western ligand blotting. We conclude that suppression of maternal and fetal IGF abundance may contribute to fetal growth restriction induced by acute or binge ethanol exposure.

alcohol; gestation; fetal growth restriction; insulin-like growth factor-binding protein

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. P. Gray, K. Kenna, J. F. Bertram, W. E. Hoy, E. B. Yan, A. D. Bocking, J. F. Brien, D. W. Walker, R. Harding, and K. M. Moritz Repeated ethanol exposure during late gestation decreases nephron endowment in fetal sheep Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, August 1, 2008; 295(2): R568 - R574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. L. Gatford, J. A. Owens, S. Li, T. J. M. Moss, J. P. Newnham, J. R. G. Challis, and D. M. Sloboda Repeated betamethasone treatment of pregnant sheep programs persistent reductions in circulating IGF-I and IGF-binding proteins in progeny Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, July 1, 2008; 295(1): E170 - E178. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]