The effect of hypoxia on NGF expression in the aorta and femoral artery in the growth restricted sheep fetus
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Objective: Intrauterine growth restriction is associated with an increased riskof developing cardiovascular disease during adult life. We have previouslydemonstrated that the restriction of placental and fetal growth results in fetalhypoxia and fetal brain sparing suggesting a redistribution of cardiac output.Furthermore, placentally restricted (PR) hypoxic fetuses are more dependenton their sympathetic nervous system for the maintenance of blood pressureduring late gestation. Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a significant role insympathetic innervation Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the expression of NGF will be higher in theaorta and femoral artery of the PR hypoxic compared to the control fetus Method: Carunclectomy was performed in 6 non-pregnant ewes to induce PR.Vascular catheters were inserted in 6 PR and 4 control (C) fetuses at 103-117dand arterial blood samples were collected for blood gas analysis. All PR fetuses were chronically hypoxic (mean gestational arterial PO2