Hyperhomocysteinemia in pregnant rats: Effects on arterial pressure, kidneys and fetal growth

• Published in: European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology Vol. 122; no. 2; pp. 177 - 181
• Main Authors: Kassab, Salah E., Abu-Hijleh, Marwan F., Al-Shaikh, Hani B., Nagalla, Das S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-10-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - physiology; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Fetal growth; Fetal Growth Retardation - mortality; Fetal Growth Retardation - physiopathology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Homocysteine; Hyperhomocysteinemia - mortality; Hyperhomocysteinemia - physiopathology; Kidney - pathology; Kidney - physiology; Medical sciences; Pre-Eclampsia - mortality; Pre-Eclampsia - physiopathology; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Proteinuria - mortality; Proteinuria - pathology; Proteinuria - physiopathology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Pregnancy; Fetal growth; Rats; Homocysteine; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy disorders; Rat; Growth; Kidney; Homocystein; Female; Fetus; Arterial pressure; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Thiol; Gynecology; Rodentia; Obstetrics; Pregnancy toxemia; Sulfur containing aminoacid; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Urinary system; Animal; Hemodynamics
• ISSN: 0301-2115; 1872-7654
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2005.02.008

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that hyperhomocysteinemia plays a role in the development of pathological changes similar to human preeclampsia in pregnant rats.
Arterial pressure and 24-h urinary excretion of proteins and electrolytes were measured during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum periods in control (
n
=
12) and methionine-treated (2.0
g/kg/day,
n
=
11) Sprague–Dawley rats. Rats were then sacrificed at the end of this protocol and renal histological examination was performed. In another protocol, control (
n
=
6) and methionine-treated (
n
=
6) rats were anaesthetized at day 20 of gestation and pregnancy outcome was assessed. Hemodynamic and renal excretory differences between groups were analyzed using ANOVA and differences in renal histology and gestation outcome using
t-test.
Serum homocysteine in the methionine group (24.0
±
2.0
μmol/L) was significantly higher compared with controls (8.5
±
0.5
μmol/L). Systolic pressure, urinary protein excretion and renal histological changes were not significantly different between the two groups. However, fetal weights were significantly smaller and percent of dead fetuses were 15% higher in methionine-treated compared with control rats.
Hyperhomocysteinemia is unlikely to cause maternal hypertension, proteinuria or renal damage in pregnant rats. However, hyperhomocysteinemia may restrict fetal growth and increase fetal mortality.