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Looi K, Kicic A, Noble PB, Wang KCW. Intrauterine growth restriction predisposes to airway inflammation without disruption of epithelial integrity in postnatal male mice. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 12:496-504. [PMID: 32799948 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174420000744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Evidence from animal models demonstrate that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) alters airway structure and function which may affect susceptibility to disease. Airway inflammation and dysregulated epithelial barrier properties are features of asthma which have not been examined in the context of IUGR. This study used a maternal hypoxia-induced IUGR mouse model to assess lung-specific and systemic inflammation and airway epithelial tight junctions (TJs) protein expression. Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD) 11 to 17.5 (IUGR group; term, GD 21). Following hypoxic exposure, mice were returned to a normoxic environment (21% O2). A Control group was housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy. Offspring weights were recorded at 2 and 8 weeks of age and euthanized for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and peritoneal cavity fluid collection for inflammatory cells counts. From a separate group of mice, right lungs were collected for Western blotting of TJs proteins. IUGR offspring had greater inflammatory cells in the BAL fluid but not in peritoneal fluid compared with Controls. At 8 weeks of age, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-13, and eotaxin concentrations were higher in male IUGR compared with male Control offspring but not in females. IUGR had no effect on TJs protein expression. Maternal hypoxia-induced IUGR increases inflammatory cells in the BAL fluid of IUGR offspring with no difference in TJs protein expression. Increased cytokine release, specific to the lungs of IUGR male offspring, indicates that both IUGR and sex can influence susceptibility to airway disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Looi
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA6102, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA6102, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA6009, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
| | - Kimberley C W Wang
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
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2
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Kalotas JO, Wang CJ, Noble PB, Wang KCW. Intrauterine Growth Restriction Promotes Postnatal Airway Hyperresponsiveness Independent of Allergic Disease. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:674324. [PMID: 34136507 PMCID: PMC8200568 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.674324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with asthma. Murine models of IUGR have altered airway responsiveness in the absence of any inflammatory exposure. Given that a primary feature of asthma is airway inflammation, IUGR-affected individuals may develop more substantial respiratory impairment if subsequently exposed to an allergen. This study used a maternal hypoxia-induced mouse model of IUGR to determine the combined effects of IUGR and allergy on airway responsiveness. Methods: Pregnant BALB/c mice were housed under hypoxic conditions (10.5% O2) from gestational day (GD) 11-GD 17.5 (IUGR group; term = GD 21). Following hypoxic exposure, mice were returned to a normoxic environment (21% O2). A second group of pregnant mice were housed under normoxic conditions throughout pregnancy (Control). All offspring were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and assigned to one of four treatment groups: Control – normoxic and saline challenge; IUGR – hypoxic and saline challenge; Allergy – normoxic and OVA challenge; and IUGR + Allergy – hypoxic and OVA challenge. At 8 weeks of age, and 24 h post-aerosol challenge, mice were tracheostomised for methacholine challenge and assessment of lung mechanics by the forced oscillation technique, and lungs subsequently fixed for morphometry. Results: IUGR offspring were lighter than Control at birth and in adulthood. Both Allergy and IUGR independently increased airway resistance after methacholine challenge. The IUGR group also exhibited an exaggerated increase in tissue damping and elastance after methacholine challenge compared with Control. However, there was no incremental effect on airway responsiveness in the combined IUGR + Allergy group. There was no impact of IUGR or Allergy on airway structure and no effect of sex on any outcome. Conclusion: IUGR and aeroallergen independently increased bronchoconstrictor response, but when combined the pathophysiology was not worsened. Findings suggest that an association between IUGR and asthma is mediated by baseline airway responsiveness rather than susceptibility to allergen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack O Kalotas
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Carolyn J Wang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Peter B Noble
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Kimberley C W Wang
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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Wooldridge AL, McMillan M, Kaur M, Giles LC, Marshall HS, Gatford KL. Relationship between birth weight or fetal growth rate and postnatal allergy: A systematic review. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2019; 144:1703-1713. [PMID: 31615640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual susceptibility to allergic diseases is developmentally programmed by early-life exposures. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that intrauterine growth restriction is protective against later inflammatory responses to allergens. OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate whether prenatal growth affects susceptibility to allergy in human subjects. METHODS We systematically searched for relevant studies in 11 databases, including Web of Science, ProQuest, EMBASE, and PubMed. We included only studies that corrected for gestational age or were restricted to full-term infants to separate effects of fetal growth from those of prematurity. RESULTS The 42 eligible studies included prospective and retrospective cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies. Only 2 studies reported allergic asthma. A birth weight increase of 1 kg was associated with a 44% greater risk of food allergy in children (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% CI, 1.04-1.99; P = .001), a 17% greater risk of ever allergic dermatitis in children (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32; P = .008), and a 34% greater risk of ever or current allergic dermatitis in infants up to 2 years of age (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.08-1.68; P = .009). Risks of allergic rhinitis were not associated with birth weight. CONCLUSIONS The results of these meta-analyses suggest that intrauterine growth restriction protects against allergic diseases in human subjects consistent with preclinical evidence but that effects might differ between allergic diseases. The strongest evidence is available for infancy and early childhood, and additional studies in older children and adults are needed to determine whether the effects of prenatal growth on each allergic disease persist or differ between those with severe and mild phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Wooldridge
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Mark McMillan
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia
| | - Manpreet Kaur
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia
| | - Lynne C Giles
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Helen S Marshall
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
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Wooldridge AL, Clifton VL, Moss TJM, Lu H, Jamali M, Agostino S, Muhlhausler BS, Morrison JL, De Matteo R, Wallace MJ, Bischof RJ, Gatford KL. Maternal allergic asthma during pregnancy alters fetal lung and immune development in sheep: potential mechanisms for programming asthma and allergy. J Physiol 2019; 597:4251-4262. [PMID: 31192454 DOI: 10.1113/jp277952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Experimental maternal allergic asthma in sheep provides an experimental model in which to test impacts on progeny. Fetuses from allergic asthmatic ewes had fewer surfactant-producing cells in lungs. A greater proportion of lymphocytes from thymus were CD44 positive in fetuses from allergic asthmatic ewes than in controls. These changes to fetal development might contribute to poor neonatal lung function and increased risk of allergy seen in offspring of pregnancies complicated by asthma. ABSTRACT Asthma is prevalent in pregnancy and increases the risk of disease in offspring, including neonatal respiratory distress and childhood asthma and allergy, but the mechanisms are not understood. We hypothesized that fetal lung structure and immune phenotype in late gestation fetal sheep would be impaired in our sheep model of maternal allergic asthma during pregnancy. Singleton-bearing ewes were either sensitized before pregnancy to house dust mite (HDM, allergic, n = 7) or were non-allergic (control, n = 5). The ewes were subsequently subjected to repeated airway challenges with HDM (allergic group) or saline (control group) throughout gestation. Tissues were collected at 140 ± 1 days gestational age (term, ∼147 days). The density of type II alveolar epithelial cells (surfactant protein C-immunostained) in the lungs was 30% lower in fetuses from allergic ewes than in controls (P < 0.001), but tissue-to-air space ratio and numbers of leucocytes and macrophages were not different between groups. The proportion of CD44+ lymphocytes in the fetal thymus was 3.5-fold higher in fetuses from allergic ewes than in control ewes (P = 0.043). Fewer surfactant-producing type II alveolar epithelial cells may contribute to the increased risk of neonatal respiratory distress in infants of asthmatic mothers, suggesting that interventions to promote lung maturation could improve their neonatal outcomes. If the elevated lymphocyte expression of CD44 persists postnatally, this would confer greater susceptibility to allergic diseases in progeny of asthmatic mothers, consistent with observations in humans. Further experiments are needed to evaluate postnatal phenotypes of progeny and investigate potential interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Wooldridge
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Mater Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Timothy J M Moss
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Hui Lu
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Monerih Jamali
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Stefanie Agostino
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Beverly S Muhlhausler
- Food and Nutrition Research Centre, Department of Food and Wine Sciences, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Janna L Morrison
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Robert De Matteo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Megan J Wallace
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Robert J Bischof
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Small size at birth predicts decreased cardiomyocyte number in the adult ovine heart. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2018; 8:618-625. [PMID: 28975880 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174417000381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) hearts have fewer CMs in early postnatal life, which may impair postnatal cardiovascular function and hence, explain increased disease risk, but whether the cardiomyocyte deficit persists to adult life is unknown. We therefore studied the effects of experimentally induced placental restriction (PR) on cardiac outcomes in young adult sheep. Heart size, cardiomyocyte number, nuclearity and size were measured in control (n=5) and PR (n=5) male sheep at 1 year of age. PR lambs were 36% lighter at birth (P=0.007), had 38% faster neonatal relative growth rates (P=0.001) and had 21% lighter heart weights relative to body weight as adults (P=0.024) than control lambs. Cardiomyocyte number, nuclearity and size in the left ventricle did not differ between control and PR adults; hearts of both groups contained cardiomyocytes (CM) with between one and four nuclei. Overall, cardiomyocyte number in the adult left ventricle correlated positively with birth weight but not with adult weight. This study is the first to demonstrate that intrauterine growth directly influences the complement of CM in the adult heart. Cardiomyocyte size was not correlated with cardiomyocyte number or birth weight. Our results suggest that body weight at birth affects lifelong cardiac functional reserve. We hypothesise that decreased cardiomyocyte number of low birth weight individuals may impair their capacity to adapt to additional challenges such as obesity and ageing.
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Wooldridge AL, McMillan M, Marshall HS, Gatford KL. Relationship between birth weight or fetal growth rate and postnatal allergy: a systematic review protocol. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 14:11-20. [PMID: 27941506 DOI: 10.11124/jbisrir-2016-003177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize the best available evidence on the relationship between size at birth or fetal growth and postnatal allergy. Specifically, this review aims to assess evidence regarding relationships between absolute birth weight at term, birth weight corrected for gestational age, expressed as relative to population or customized growth data, or fetal growth measures and physician-diagnosed or parent- and self-reported postnatal clinical allergic disease (eczema/atopic dermatitis, hay fever/rhinitis, allergic asthma or anaphylaxis).The specific review question is: what is the association between the absolute birth weight at full-term or birth weight relative to population or customized data and corrected for gestational age or direct measures of fetal growth, and physician-diagnosed or parent- and self-reported clinical allergic disease (eczema/atopic dermatitis, hay fever/rhinitis, allergic asthma or anaphylaxis)?
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Wooldridge
- 1Robinson Research Institute and School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia 2Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit (VIRTU), Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia
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Wooldridge AL, Bischof RJ, Liu H, Heinemann GK, Hunter DS, Giles LC, Simmons RA, Lien YC, Lu W, Rabinowitz JD, Kind KL, Owens JA, Clifton VL, Gatford KL. Late-gestation maternal dietary methyl donor and cofactor supplementation in sheep partially reverses protection against allergic sensitization by IUGR. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2017; 314:R22-R33. [PMID: 28978515 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00549.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposures are associated with altered risks of childhood allergy. Human studies and our previous work suggest that restricted growth in utero (IUGR) is protective against allergic disease. The mechanisms are not clearly defined, but reduced fetal abundance and altered metabolism of methyl donors are hypothesized as possible underlying mechanisms. Therefore, we examined whether late-gestation maternal dietary methyl donor and cofactor supplementation of the placentally restricted (PR) sheep pregnancy would reverse allergic protection in progeny. Allergic outcomes were compared between progeny from control pregnancies (CON; n = 49), from PR pregnancies without intervention (PR; n = 28), and from PR pregnancies where the dam was fed a methyl donor plus cofactor supplement from day 120 of pregnancy until delivery (PR + Methyl; n = 25). Both PR and PR + Methyl progeny were smaller than CON; supplementation did not alter birth size. PR was protective against cutaneous hypersensitivity responses to ovalbumin (OVA; P < 0.01 in singletons). Cutaneous hypersensitivity responses to OVA in PR + Methyl progeny were intermediate to and not different from the responses of CON and PR sheep. Cutaneous hypersensitivity responses to house dust mites did not differ between treatments. In singleton progeny, upper dermal mast cell density was greater in PR + Methyl than in PR or CON (each P < 0.05). The differences in the cutaneous allergic response were not explained by treatment effects on circulating immune cells or antibodies. Our results suggest that mechanisms underlying in utero programming of allergic susceptibility by IUGR and methyl donor availability may differ and imply that late-gestation methyl donor supplementation may increase allergy risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Wooldridge
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Robert J Bischof
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research , Clayton, Victoria , Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University , Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
| | - Hong Liu
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Gary K Heinemann
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Damien S Hunter
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Lynne C Giles
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,School of Population Health, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Rebecca A Simmons
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Yu-Chin Lien
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Wenyun Lu
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Chemistry, Princeton University , Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Joshua D Rabinowitz
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Chemistry, Princeton University , Princeton, New Jersey
| | - Karen L Kind
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Julie A Owens
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
| | - Vicki L Clifton
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland and Translational Research Institute, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide , Adelaide, South Australia , Australia
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Hunter DS, Hazel SJ, Kind KL, Liu H, Marini D, Giles LC, De Blasio MJ, Owens JA, Pitcher JB, Gatford KL. Effects of induced placental and fetal growth restriction, size at birth and early neonatal growth on behavioural and brain structural lateralization in sheep. Laterality 2016; 22:560-589. [PMID: 27759494 DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2016.1243552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Poor perinatal growth in humans results in asymmetrical grey matter loss in fetuses and infants and increased functional and behavioural asymmetry, but specific contributions of pre- and postnatal growth are unclear. We therefore compared strength and direction of lateralization in obstacle avoidance and maze exit preference tasks in offspring of placentally restricted (PR: 10M, 13F) and control (CON: 23M, 17F) sheep pregnancies at 18 and 40 weeks of age, and examined gross brain structure of the prefrontal cortex at 52 weeks of age (PR: 14M, 18F; CON: 23M, 25F). PR did not affect lateralization direction, but 40-week-old PR females had greater lateralization strength than CON (P = .021). Behavioural lateralization measures were not correlated with perinatal growth. PR did not alter brain morphology. In males, cross-sectional areas of the prefrontal cortex and left hemisphere correlated positively with skull width at birth, and white matter area correlated positively with neonatal growth rate of the skull (all P < .05). These studies reinforce the need to include progeny of both sexes in future studies of neurodevelopmental programming, and suggest that restricting in utero growth has relatively mild effects on gross brain structural or behavioural lateralization in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Seth Hunter
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia.,c School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Susan J Hazel
- c School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Karen L Kind
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,c School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Hong Liu
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia
| | - Danila Marini
- c School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Lynne C Giles
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,d School of Population Health , University of Adelaide , Adelaide , South Australia , Australia
| | - Miles J De Blasio
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia
| | - Julie A Owens
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia
| | - Julia B Pitcher
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- a Robinson Research Institute , North Adelaide , Australia.,b Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Adelaide Medical School , Adelaide , Australia
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A review of fundamental principles for animal models of DOHaD research: an Australian perspective. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2016; 7:449-472. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174416000477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiology formed the basis of ‘the Barker hypothesis’, the concept of ‘developmental programming’ and today’s discipline of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Animal experimentation provided proof of the underlying concepts, and continues to generate knowledge of underlying mechanisms. Interventions in humans, based on DOHaD principles, will be informed by experiments in animals. As knowledge in this discipline has accumulated, from studies of humans and other animals, the complexity of interactions between genome, environment and epigenetics, has been revealed. The vast nature of programming stimuli and breadth of effects is becoming known. As a result of our accumulating knowledge we now appreciate the impact of many variables that contribute to programmed outcomes. To guide further animal research in this field, the Australia and New Zealand DOHaD society (ANZ DOHaD) Animals Models of DOHaD Research Working Group convened at the 2nd Annual ANZ DOHaD Congress in Melbourne, Australia in April 2015. This review summarizes the contributions of animal research to the understanding of DOHaD, and makes recommendations for the design and conduct of animal experiments to maximize relevance, reproducibility and translation of knowledge into improving health and well-being.
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Placental restriction in multi-fetal pregnancies increases spontaneous ambulatory activity during daylight hours in young adult female sheep. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2016; 7:525-537. [PMID: 27335227 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174416000283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has adverse effects on metabolic health and early life, whereas physical activity is protective against later development of metabolic disease. Relationships between birth weight and physical activity in humans, and effects of IUGR on voluntary activity in rodents, are mixed and few studies have measured physical activity in a free-ranging environment. We hypothesized that induced restriction of placental growth and function (PR) in sheep would decrease spontaneous ambulatory activity (SAA) in free-ranging adolescent and young adult progeny from multi-fetal pregnancies. To test this hypothesis, we used Global Positioning System watches to continuously record SAA between 1800 and 1200 h the following day, twice during a 16-day recording period, in progeny of control (CON, n=5 males, 9 females) and PR pregnancies (n=9 males, 10 females) as adolescents (30 weeks) and as young adults (43 weeks). PR reduced size at birth overall, but not in survivors included in SAA studies. In adolescents, SAA did not differ between treatments and females were more active than males overall and during the day (each P<0.001). In adults, daytime SAA was greater in PR than CON females (P=0.020), with a similar trend in males (P=0.053) and was greater in females than males (P=0.016). Adult SAA was negatively correlated with birth weight in females only. Contrary to our hypothesis, restricted placental function and small size at birth did not reduce progeny SAA. The mechanisms for increased daytime SAA in adult female PR and low birth weight sheep require further investigation.
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11
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Grieger JA, Clifton VL, Tuck AR, Wooldridge AL, Robertson SA, Gatford KL. In utero Programming of Allergic Susceptibility. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2016; 169:80-92. [PMID: 27044002 DOI: 10.1159/000443961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Around 30-40% of the world's population will experience allergy, the most common and earliest-onset noncommunicable disease. With a steady rise in the incidence of allergic disease over recent decades, up to 18% of children will suffer a respiratory, food or skin allergy before their 18th birthday. There is compelling evidence that the risk of developing allergy is influenced by early life events and particularly in utero exposures. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was undertaken which outlines prenatal risk factors and potential mechanisms underlying the development of allergy in childhood. RESULTS Exposures including maternal cigarette smoking, preterm birth and Caesarean delivery are implicated in predisposing infants to the later development of allergy. In contrast, restricted growth in utero, a healthy maternal diet and a larger family size are protective, but the mechanisms here are unclear and require further investigation. CONCLUSION To ameliorate the allergy pandemic in young children, we must define prenatal mechanisms that alter the programming of the fetal immune system and also identify specific targets for antenatal interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Grieger
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Medicine, University ofAdelaide, Adelaide, S.A., Australia
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12
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Placental and fetal growth restriction, size at birth and neonatal growth alter cognitive function and behaviour in sheep in an age- and sex-specific manner. Physiol Behav 2015; 152:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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13
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Liu H, Schultz CG, De Blasio MJ, Peura AM, Heinemann GK, Harryanto H, Hunter DS, Wooldridge AL, Kind KL, Giles LC, Simmons RA, Owens JA, Gatford KL. Effect of placental restriction and neonatal exendin-4 treatment on postnatal growth, adult body composition, and in vivo glucose metabolism in the sheep. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2015. [PMID: 26219868 PMCID: PMC4631533 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00487.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) increases the risk of adult type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. Neonatal exendin-4 treatment can prevent diabetes in the IUGR rat, but whether this will be effective in a species where the pancreas is more mature at birth is unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of neonatal exendin-4 administration after experimental restriction of placental and fetal growth on growth and adult metabolic outcomes in sheep. Body composition, glucose tolerance, and insulin secretion and sensitivity were assessed in singleton-born adult sheep from control (CON; n = 6 females and 4 males) and placentally restricted pregnancies (PR; n = 13 females and 7 males) and in sheep from PR pregnancies that were treated with exendin-4 as neonates (daily sc injections of 1 nmol/kg exendin-4; PR + exendin-4; n = 11 females and 7 males). Placental restriction reduced birth weight (by 29%) and impaired glucose tolerance in the adult but did not affect adult adiposity, insulin secretion, or insulin sensitivity. Neonatal exendin-4 suppressed growth during treatment, followed by delayed catchup growth and unchanged adult adiposity. Neonatal exendin-4 partially restored glucose tolerance in PR progeny but did not affect insulin secretion or sensitivity. Although the effects on glucose tolerance are promising, the lack of effects on adult body composition, insulin secretion, and insulin sensitivity suggest that the neonatal period may be too late to fully reprogram the metabolic consequences of IUGR in species that are more mature at birth than rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Liu
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Christopher G Schultz
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET and Bone Densitometry, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; and
| | - Miles J De Blasio
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Anita M Peura
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Gary K Heinemann
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Himawan Harryanto
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Damien S Hunter
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, and
| | - Amy L Wooldridge
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Karen L Kind
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, and
| | - Lynne C Giles
- School of Population Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rebecca A Simmons
- University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Julie A Owens
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health,
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14
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Clifton VL, Moss TJM, Wooldridge AL, Gatford KL, Liravi B, Kim D, Muhlhausler BS, Morrison JL, Davies A, De Matteo R, Wallace MJ, Bischof RJ. Development of an experimental model of maternal allergic asthma during pregnancy. J Physiol 2015; 594:1311-25. [PMID: 26235954 DOI: 10.1113/jp270752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal asthma during pregnancy adversely affects pregnancy outcomes but identification of the cause/s, and the ability to evaluate interventions, is limited by the lack of an appropriate animal model. We therefore aimed to characterise maternal lung and cardiovascular responses and fetal-placental growth and lung surfactant levels in a sheep model of allergic asthma. Immune and airway functions were studied in singleton-bearing ewes, either sensitised before pregnancy to house dust mite (HDM, allergic, n = 7) or non-allergic (control, n = 5), and subjected to repeated airway challenges with HDM (allergic group) or saline (control group) throughout gestation. Maternal lung, fetal and placental phenotypes were characterised at 140 ± 1 days gestational age (term, ∼147 days). The eosinophil influx into lungs was greater after HDM challenge in allergic ewes than after saline challenge in control ewes before mating and in late gestation. Airway resistance increased throughout pregnancy in allergic but not control ewes, consistent with increased airway smooth muscle in allergic ewes. Maternal allergic asthma decreased relative fetal weight (-12%) and altered placental phenotype to a more mature form. Expression of surfactant protein B mRNA was 48% lower in fetuses from allergic ewes than controls, with a similar trend for surfactant protein D. Thus, allergic asthma in pregnant sheep modifies placental phenotype, and inhibits fetal growth and lung development consistent with observations from human pregnancies. Preconceptional allergen sensitisation and repeated airway challenges in pregnant sheep therefore provides an animal model to identify mechanisms of altered fetal development and adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by maternal asthma in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicki L Clifton
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.,Mater Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4101, Australia
| | - Timothy J M Moss
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Amy L Wooldridge
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Kathryn L Gatford
- Robinson Research Institute and School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Bahar Liravi
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Dasom Kim
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Beverly S Muhlhausler
- FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Janna L Morrison
- Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
| | - Andrew Davies
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Peninsula Campus, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia
| | - Robert De Matteo
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Megan J Wallace
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Robert J Bischof
- The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
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15
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Do I turn left or right? Effects of sex, age, experience and exit route on maze test performance in sheep. Physiol Behav 2015; 139:244-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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