Molecular mechanisms involved in cardiovascular changes triggered by fetal excess glucocorticoids

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of prenatal treatment with dexamethasone on blood pressure and maternal and offspring cardiac function, and the molecular mechanisms involved in these changes, Caudal Blood Pressure (CBP) of virgin Wistar rats, aged 60 days, will be monitored by tail plethysmography. After completing 90 days, the rats will be randomly assigned to four groups: virgin rats (CTL), virgin rats treated with dexamethasone (D), pregnant rats without treatment (P) and rats treated with dexamethasone during pregnancy (PD). The rats in the P, PD groups will be allocated for mating at the same time, and in the last week of gestation the rats in the PD group will receive 0.2 mg/kg/day of dexamethasone (Decadron) in drinking water. Similar treatment will be given to group D in the same period. After weaning, the CBP of all rats will be monitored again until the 50th week of life. The offspring of control animals and animals treated with dexamethasone, in turn, after reaching 15 weeks of life, will also be subjected to weekly CBP monitoring until they complete 16 weeks (120 days). After this period, the animals' cardiac function will be analyzed by echocardiography. At the end of the experimental protocol, all animals will be euthanized, and blood and heart will be collected for biochemical and molecular analyzes. (AU)