Go to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • All ...
  • Videos
  • Collections
    • Resource and Technical Advances
    • Clinical Medicine
    • Reviews
    • Editorials
    • Perspectives
    • Top read articles
  • JCI This Month
    • Current issue
    • Past issues

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • In-Press Preview
  • Editorials
  • Viewpoint
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Transfers
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
Fetal hypoxemia causes abnormal myocardial development in a preterm ex utero fetal ovine model
Kendall M. Lawrence, … , J. William Gaynor, Carlo R. Bartoli
Kendall M. Lawrence, … , J. William Gaynor, Carlo R. Bartoli
Published December 20, 2018
Citation Information: JCI Insight. 2018;3(24):e124338. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.124338.
View: Text | PDF
Resource and Technical Advance Reproductive biology Therapeutics

Fetal hypoxemia causes abnormal myocardial development in a preterm ex utero fetal ovine model

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

In utero hypoxia is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality and predisposes to adult cardiovascular disease. No therapies exist to correct fetal hypoxia. In a new ex utero fetal support system, we tested the hypothesis that hypoxemic support of the fetus impairs myocardial development, whereas normoxic support allows normal myocardial development. Preterm fetal lambs were connected via umbilical vessels to a low-resistance oxygenator and placed in a sterile-fluid environment. Control normoxic fetuses received normal fetal oxygenation, and hypoxemic fetuses received subphysiologic oxygenation. Fetuses with normal in utero development served as normal controls. Hypoxemic fetuses exhibited decreased maximum cardiac output in both ventricles, diastolic function, myocyte and myocyte nuclear size, and increased myocardial capillary density versus control normoxic fetuses. There were no differences between control normoxic fetuses in the fetal support system and normal in utero controls. Chronic fetal hypoxemia resulted in significant abnormalities in myocyte architecture and myocardial capillary density as well as systolic and diastolic cardiac function, whereas control fetuses showed no differences. This ex utero fetal support system has potential to become a significant research tool and novel therapy to correct fetal hypoxia.

Authors

Kendall M. Lawrence, Samson Hennessy-Strahs, Patrick E. McGovern, Ali Y. Mejaddam, Avery C. Rossidis, Heron D. Baumgarten, Esha Bansal, Maryann Villeda, Jiancheng Han, Zhongshan Gou, Sheng Zhao, Jack Rychik, William H. Peranteau, Marcus G. Davey, Alan W. Flake, J. William Gaynor, Carlo R. Bartoli

×

Figure 4

Myocyte characteristics.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
Myocyte characteristics.
Preterm fetal lambs received either normal oxyg...
Preterm fetal lambs received either normal oxygen delivery (n = 9, 23 ± 1 ml/kg/min, 24 ± 2 days) or subphysiologic oxygen delivery (n = 7, 15 ± 1 ml/kg/min, 18 ± 2 days) in an ex utero fetal support system. At necropsy, myocardial histology was performed with hypoxemic and normoxic control hearts. Results were compared to a group of control hearts from fetuses raised normally in utero (n = 8). (A) Left ventricular myocytes from control in utero fetuses (B) and control normoxic fetuses (C) were significantly larger than myocytes from hypoxemic fetuses (D). There was no difference in myocyte size between control in utero fetuses and control normoxic fetuses. Original magnification, ×40. Scale bars: 20 μm. (E) Left ventricular myocyte nuclei from control in utero fetuses (F) and control normoxic fetuses (G) were larger than hypoxemic fetuses (H). There was no difference in myocyte nuclear size between control in utero fetuses and control normoxic fetuses. Original magnification, ×20. Scale bars: 40 μm. Statistical comparisons were made across groups with 1-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s post hoc tests to compare means between individual groups.

Copyright © 2023 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN 2379-3708

Sign up for email alerts