The combined effect of ultrasonic exposure and protein restriction on maternal and fetal mice

Abstract

Abstract--This investigation was undertaken to assess the combined effects of protein restriction and ultrasonic energy exposure during pregnancy on the maternal and fetal mouse. Pregnant female mice were fed diets containing either 18% casein (control diet) or 6% casein (restricted protein diet) during gestation. All animals were subjected to the ultrasonic exposure procedure (actual: 2.5 W/cm 2 spatial peak; sham: 0 W/cm2; continuous wave for 20 sec at a frequency of l MHz) on day 8 of gestation. On day 18 of gestation, the animals were sacrificed. Products of conception were examined, and chemical analysis were performed on maternal liver, placenta and fetus.Our results suggest that there are possible influences of ultrasonic energy exposure to the mouse fetus and placenta, as indicated by the tendency toward decreases of fetal weight, placental weight, and DNA and RNA contents of both fetus and placenta, especially with restricted protein in the maternal diet during gestation.Protein restriction during pregnancy had an adverse influence on both the maternal organism and her products of conception. The nutritional needs for the fetus were not met at the expense of the maternal organism. Parameters of fetal cellular growth were reduced by gestational protein restriction indicating that there is competition for available nutrients between the fetus under time of stress. Results also show that the trends of fetal and placental growth are in the same general direction suggesting the possible usefulness of human placental tissue as a maker for fetal growth in subsequent population studies.

Biological effects of high-frequency ultrasound exposure during mouse organogenesis

“…Fetal weight is thought to be one of the most sensitive indicators of embryotoxicity; is a common effect following in utero exposure to a variety of insults, including intrauterine heating or maternal stress (reviewed in Carnes et al 1995), and has been reported in different mouse strains (Stolzenberg et al 1980a(Stolzenberg et al , 1980bTarantal et al 1993). It has been suggested that there may be strain differences in the effects of US in mice (O'Brien et al 1982;Kim et al 1983). Also, weaning weights are affected by smaller litter size because weights of the young are known to depend on the number of pups being reared (reviewed in Carnes et al 1995), but no significant differences in litter size were observed for any exposure group.…”

Effect of ultrasound on development. Part 2: Studies in mammalian species and overview.

“…Kim et al 23 evaluated the combined effects of protein restriction and exposure of mice to 2.5-\V/ cm 2 (SP) CW ultrasound for 20 seconds at 8 dg with evaluation on 18 <lg. The primary eflects were those attributable to protein deficiency.…”