Impact of Dexamethasone on Fetal Pancreas Development
Author Information
Author(s): Dumortier Olivier, Theys Nicolas, Ahn Marie-Thérèse, Remacle Claude, Reusens Brigitte
Primary Institution: Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Hypothesis
This study aims to investigate the consequences of overexposure to exogenous glucocorticoids during different time-windows of gestation for the development of the fetal endocrine pancreas.
Conclusion
Excessive glucocorticoid levels during gestation reduce the beta- and alpha-cell mass in the pancreas through different mechanisms depending on the timing of exposure.
Supporting Evidence
- Dexamethasone reduced beta-cell mass by 62% when given throughout gestation.
- Fetuses exposed to glucocorticoids had reduced insulin secretion.
- Islet vascularization was significantly decreased in fetuses exposed to dexamethasone throughout gestation.
Takeaway
Giving too much of a stress hormone called dexamethasone to pregnant rats can hurt the growth of their babies' pancreas, which is important for making insulin.
Methodology
Pregnant Wistar rats were given dexamethasone in their drinking water during different gestational periods, and the fetuses were analyzed for pancreatic development.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the selection of treatment groups and the interpretation of results.
Limitations
The study was conducted on rats, which may not fully represent human responses to glucocorticoid exposure.
Participant Demographics
Pregnant Wistar rats were used in the study.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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