Maternal dexamethasone administration and the maturation of perirenal adipose tissue of the neonatal sheep

Figures & data

Figure 1 Summary of experimental protocol used to determine the effect of delivery temperature and maternal dexamethasone administration on the abundance of mRNA and mitochondrial proteins in perirenal adipose tissue of the neonatal lamb. dGA; days of gestation, term ∼147 dGA.

Figure 2 Abundance of (A) uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 mRNA, (B) UCP2 mRNA, (C) glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA and (D) 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) mRNA in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses delivered by caesarean section at 140 days of gestation (dGA; term ∼147 dGA) following maternal dexamethasone (Dex) administration or at 146 dGA (control group) into warm and cool ambient temperatures. Example images of gene mRNA expression are given. Values are means with their standard errors (n = 4 per individual group). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, mean value significantly different from respective control group.

Figure 3 Abundance of (A) voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and (B) cytochrome c proteins in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses delivered by caesarean section at 140 days of gestation (dGA; term ∼147 dGA) following maternal dexamethasone (Dex) administration or at 146 dGA (control group) into warm and cool ambient temperatures. Examples of protein expression are given. Values are means with their standard errors (n = 4 per individual group). ** P < 0.01, mean value significantly different from respective control group.

Figure 4 Abundance of interleukin 6 mRNA in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses delivered by caesarean section at 140 days of gestation (dGA; term ∼147 dGA) following maternal dexamethasone (Dex) administration or at 146 dGA (control group) into warm and cool ambient temperatures. Values are means with their standard errors (n = 4 per individual group).

Table 1 Effect of maternal dexamethasone administration on maternal plasma hormones and metabolites

	Pre dexamethasone	Post dexamethasone
Glucose (mmol/L)	3.16 ± 0.40	3.17 ± 0.36
Non-esterified fatty acids (mmol/L)	1.01 ± 0.31	1.00 ± 0.26
Total thyroxine (nmol/L)	70 ± 6	38 ± 1 ***
Free triiodothyronine (pmol/L)	0.45 ± 0.14	1.15 ± 0.47 *
Cortisol (nmol/L)	9 ± 4	38 ± 8 **

Values are means with the standard errors that were taken either the day before or two days after dexamethasone injection (n = 4). Significant differences between sampling periods: *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.

Table 2 Significant negative relationship between plasma cortisol concentration and molecular measurements made in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses and neonates delivered by caesarean section into warm and cool ambient temperatures at either 140 days gestation following maternal dexamethasone administration or at 146 days (Controls) (n = 24)

Y axis	R^2	p value
UCP1 mRNA	0.52	p = 0.002
UCP2 mRNA	0.43	p = 0.002
GR mRNA	0.46	p = 0.002
11βHSD1 mRNA	0.46	p = 0.002
VDAC protein	0.58	p = 0.002
Cytochrome c protein	0.55	p = 0.003

Uncoupling protein (UCP); glucocorticoid receptor (GR); 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1); voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC).

Table 3 Significant positive relationship between plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentration relationships between molecular measurements made in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses and neonates delivered by caesarean section into warm and cool ambient temperatures at either 140 days gestation following maternal dexamethasone administration or at 146 days (Controls) (n = 24)

Y axis	R^2	p value
UCP1 mRNA	0.69	P < 0.0001
UCP2 mRNA	0.63	P < 0.0001
GR mRNA	0.55	P = 0.001
11βHSD1 mRNA	0.58	P = 0.001
VDAC protein	0.76	P < 0.0001
Cytochrome c protein	0.83	P < 0.0001

Uncoupling protein (UCP); glucocorticoid receptor (GR); 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1); voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC).

Table 4 Significant positive relationships between molecular measurements made in perirenal adipose tissue sampled from fetuses and neonates delivered by caesarean section into warm and cool ambient temperatures at either 140 days gestation following maternal dexamethasone administration or at 146 days (Controls) (n = 24)

X axis	Y axis	R^2	p value
11βHSD1 mRNA	GR mRNA	0.89	p < 0.0001
GR mRNA	UCP2 mRNA	0.83	p < 0.0001
11βHSD1 mRNA	UCP2 mRNA	0.76	p < 0.0001
UCP2 mRNA	VDAC protein	0.90	p < 0.0001
UCP2 mRNA	Cytochrome c protein	0.86	p < 0.0001
UCP1 mRNA	UCP1	0.72	p < 0.0001

Uncoupling protein (UCP); glucocorticoid receptor (GR); 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1); voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC).