Influence of Glucocorticoids on Prenatal Development of the Gut and Pancreas in Rats

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Abstract
The effect of chronic administration of hydrocortisone during pregnancy on growth and maturation of the foetal gut and pancreas was investigated. Groups of 10- to 11-day pregnant rats were injected with saline or hydrocortisone (50 mg/kg) once a day for 10 days. The pancreas, antrum, and small intestine of newborns (8-10 h after birth) were analysed for various determinants of growth and maturation. The small-intestinal weight and DNA, RNA, and protein were significantly higher in newborns from hydrocortisone-treated animals than those of saline-treated controls. Hydrocortisone treatment resulted in an induction of sucrase and significantly stimulated total lactase activity. After the steroid treatment during pregnancy, the weight of the pancreas and its DNA content in newborns were also significantly elevated when compared with those from saline-treated controls. However, neither pancreatic RNA nor protein content differed significantly between the groups. Antral gastrin content in newborns from hydrocortisone-treated mothers was significantly higher than that from saline-treated controls. Pancreatic gastrin content in newborns was slightly but not significantly reduced after the steroid administration to mothers. It is concluded that glucocorticoids induce growth and maturation of foetal gut and pancreas.