Sex-specific alterations in placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 activity and early postnatal clinical course following antenatal betamethasone

Stark, Michael J.; Wright, Ian; Clifton, Vicki L.

doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00175.2009

Cited by 144 publications

(106 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

100

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This hypocortisolic fetal milieu seems crucial for fetal HPA axis maturation and regulation of steroidogenesis (43). Placental 11β-HSD2 is more active in females (44) and is sensitive to maternal stress, which causes a greater transfer of glucocorticoids from mother to fetus. A reduction in placental levels of 11β-HSD2 occurs during late gestation, allowing an increased transfer of maternal glucocorticoids to the fetus and exacerbation of the effects of maternal stress on the fetus (45,46).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal loss of father during World War One is predictive of a reduced lifespan in adulthood

Todd

Valleron

Bougnères

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although early-life stress is known to alter health, its long-term consequences on mortality remain largely unknown. Thanks to unique French legislation established in 1917 for war orphans and children of disabled soldiers, we were able to study the adult mortality of individuals born in 1914–1916 whose fathers were killed during World War 1. Vital information and socio-demographic characteristics were extracted manually from historical civil registers for 5,671 children born between 1 August 1914 and 31 December 1916 who were granted the status of “pupille de la Nation” (orphan of the Nation). We used a database comprising 1.4 million deceased soldiers to identify war orphans and collect information on their fathers and then paired each orphan with a nonorphan from the same birth register matched for date of birth, sex, and mother’s age at the infant’s birth. Mortality between ages 31 and 99 y was analyzed for 2,365 orphan/nonorphan pairs. The mean loss of adult lifespan of orphans who had lost their father before birth was 2.4 y (95% CI: 0.7, 3.9 y) and was the result of increased mortality before age 65 y. Adult lifespan was not reduced when the father’s death occurred after the infant’s birth. These results support the notion that intrauterine exposure to a major psychological maternal stress can affect human longevity.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal loss of father during World War One is predictive of a reduced lifespan in adulthood

Todd

Valleron

Bougnères

2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These differences might be due to a higher placental transfer of maternal glucocorticoids in males, as observed in rodents (Montano et al, 1991). In pigs (Klemcke and Christenson, 1996), sheep (Braun et al, 2009) and humans (Stark et al, 2009), female placentae seem to have a greater ability to increase their 11b-HSD2 activity or expression in response to physiological stressors than male placentae.…”

Section: Effect Of Maternal Stress During Gestation On the Biology Ofmentioning

confidence: 98%

Prenatal stress, immunity and neonatal health in farm animal species

Merlot

Quesnel

Prunier

2013

Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The high pre-weaning mortality in farm animal species and poor welfare conditions of reproductive females question modern industrial farming acceptability. A growing body of literature has been produced recently, investigating the impact of maternal stress during gestation on maternal and offspring physiology and behavior in farm animals. Until now, the possible impact of prenatal stress on neonatal health, growth and survival could not be consistently demonstrated, probably because experimental studies use small numbers of animals and thus do not allow accurate estimations. However, the data from literature synthesized in the present review show that in ungulates, maternal stress can sometimes alter important maternal parameters of neonatal survival such as colostrum production (ruminants) and maternal care to the newborn (pigs). Furthermore, maternal stress during gestation can affect maternal immune system and impair her health, which can have an impact on the transfer of pathogens from the mother to her fetus or neonate. Finally, prenatal stress can decrease the ability of the neonate to absorb colostral immunoglobulins, and alter its inflammatory response and lymphocyte functions during the first few weeks of life. Cortisol and reproductive hormones in the case of colostrogenesis are pointed out as possible hormonal mediators. Field data and epidemiological studies are needed to quantify the role of maternal welfare problems in neonatal health and survival.

show abstract

“…In preterm babies, whose mothers received antenatal betamethasone, the activity of placental 11 HSD2 (predominant component of the glucocorticoid barrier) was reduced in placentas of male fetuses only [104]. This reduction in 11 HSD2 activity would be expected to compound the already increased exposure of the male fetus to cortisol brought about by the decreased term 11 HSD2 activity within male placentas during a normal pregnancy [76].…”

Section: Sex-specific Effects Of Excess Glucocorticoids On the Placenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This may further compound the reduced immune function in male fetuses, thus increasing their susceptibility to disease. Further, glucocorticoids are important for fetal adrenal development [104]. Male preterm babies exposed to excess glucocorticoids in utero, have less adrenal activity than female preterm babies exposed to similar levels of glucocorticoids [104], which may explain the increased risk of morbidity and mortality of preterm male babies.…”

Section: Sex-specific Effects Of Excess Glucocorticoids On the Placenmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, glucocorticoids are important for fetal adrenal development [104]. Male preterm babies exposed to excess glucocorticoids in utero, have less adrenal activity than female preterm babies exposed to similar levels of glucocorticoids [104], which may explain the increased risk of morbidity and mortality of preterm male babies. We are unaware of any studies that have investigated the other members of the placental glucocorticoid barrier (MR and ABCB1) and their sexually dimorphic response to excess glucocorticoid exposure.…”

Section: Sex-specific Effects Of Excess Glucocorticoids On the Placenmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sex-Specific Effects of Prenatal Glucocorticoids on Placental Development

Dickinson¹,

O'Connell²,

Walker³

et al. 2012

Glucocorticoids - New Recognition of Our Familiar Friend

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sex-specific alterations in placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 activity and early postnatal clinical course following antenatal betamethasone

Abstract: Stark MJ, Wright IMR, Clifton VL. Sex-specific alterations in placental 11␤-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 activity and early postnatal clinical course following antenatal betamethasone.

Cited by 144 publications

References 33 publications

Prenatal loss of father during World War One is predictive of a reduced lifespan in adulthood

Prenatal loss of father during World War One is predictive of a reduced lifespan in adulthood

Prenatal stress, immunity and neonatal health in farm animal species

Sex-Specific Effects of Prenatal Glucocorticoids on Placental Development

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About