Effect of Nicotine on the Development of Fetal and Suckling Rats

Abstract

Nicotine, administered at a dose of 100 μg/kg/day from day 14 of gestation, did not affect maternal food intake, weight gain, length of gestation, litter size or fetal development; however, a daily dose of 1 mg/kg led to smaller litter size and higher incidence of stillbirth. Continued maternal administration of nicotine (100 μg/kg/day) until 12 days postpartum did not affect newborn growth (body weight and length and size of heart and lung) during the first week after birth; during the second week, however, the nicotine-treated group lagged behind the controls. The stomachs of pups of nicotine-treated rats contained less food than those of controls; this difference increased with age, becoming more than 40% at 12 days. We suggest that lower milk production of nicotine-treated rats interferes with the normal development of the offspring during periods of rapid growth.

Effect of Dexamethasone on Lipoprotein Lipase Activity of Fetal Rat Lung

“…Pa ) was administered via an osmotic mini pump (Alza Research Company, Palo Alto. Calif.) [18]. On day 16 of gestation, the experimental animals were anesthetized with ether and the pumps were implanted suprascapularly beneath the subcutaneous tissue, where they remained until sacrifice.…”

“…The uteri were clamped in situ, resected and removed to Petri dishes containing cold 0.85% saline [18]. The fetuses were delivered and weighed individually.…”

“…Lipoprotein lipase, which acts on plasma triglycerides at the lu minal surface of the endothelial cells [32], therefore, regulates the uptake of triglyceride fatty acids by extrahepatic tissues [29,32] including the lung [16]. Triglyceride levels in fetal rat plasma are in the range of 0.5-1.5 mM [18][19][20]24], suggesting that circulat ing triglycerides could supply fatty acids nec essary for surfactant synthesis in the fetal lung [3, 7. 19, 21, 24].…”

Efeitos da exposição à fumaça do cigarro sobre a produção láctea e o crescimento de filhotes de ratas

“…19 Newborn rats given nicotine injections during gestation and lactation exhibited reduced weight gain and linear growth at the end of the first half of lactation. 20 In contrast, newborn rats given nicotine during gestation, but not during lactation exhibited reduced birth weight, but with no significant difference in weight at weaning after 21 days. 21 Studies with humans have shown that, although smoking during pregnancy is associated with newborn infants whose weights are lower when delivered, after birth, these children tend to catch up with the ideal growth curve.…”

Effects of Pre- and Neonatal Nicotine Exposure in Rodents: Inconsistent Evidence

“…Table 2 summarizes the results of 56 studies that reported the effects of developmental nicotine exposure on birth weights and somatic development, as well as maternal and gestational variables (all the studies had "body weight" in the abstract or as a key term). Studies that report birth weight after prenatal or pre-and postnatal exposure to nicotine are equally likely to show no differences (Ajarem and Ahmad 1998;Bertolini et al • 1982;Eppolito and Smith 2006;Eppolito et al 2010;Franke et al 2007;Fung 1988;Hamosh et al 1979;Levin 1993;Navarro et al 1989a;Paulson et al 1993;Paz et al 2006;Peters 1984;Peters and Ngan 1982;Peters and Tang 1982;Richardson and Tizabi 1994;Romero and Chen 2004;Segarra and Strand 1989;Sobrian et al 1995Sobrian et al , 2003Somm et al 2008) or lower birth weight (Carmines et al 2003;Cutler et al • 1996;Gaworski et al 2004;Holloway et al 2005;Johns et al 1982;LeSage et al 2006;Martin and Becker 1971;Martin et al 1976;Navarro et al 1989a;Newman et al 1999;Paulson et al 1994;Peters 1984;Peters and Tang 1982;Roy and Sabherwal 1994;Schneider et al 2010;Shacka et al 19...…”