Comparison of the effect of ambroxol and dexamethasone on the expression of pulmonary surfactant proteins in the fetal rat lungs.
- Author:
Xue-ming FU
1
;
Jia-lin YU
;
Guan-xin LIU
;
Bing DENG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Ambroxol; pharmacology; Animals; Dexamethasone; pharmacology; Expectorants; pharmacology; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; drug effects; Glucocorticoids; pharmacology; Lung; drug effects; embryology; metabolism; Pregnancy; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; genetics; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B; genetics; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C; genetics; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; genetics; RNA, Messenger; genetics; metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- From: Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2004;42(6):450-453
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of maternally administered dexamethasone and ambroxol on the mRNA levels of surfactant proteins (SP-A, SP-B and SP-C) expression in fetal rat lungs at gestational age day 19.
METHODSA 19-day fetal rat lung model was employed. In situ hybridization was used to detect the expression of SP-B mRNA in alveolar type II cell, and the levels of SP-A, SP-B and SP-C mRNAs were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
RESULTS(1) SP-B mRNA was detected in situ in alveolar type II cells in fetal rat lung of day 19 gestational age; (2) In the late developmental period of fetal rat lungs, alveolar type II cells were also found around bronchus; (3) Comparing to beta-actin mRNA, the relative values of SP-A, SP-B and SP-C mRNAs were 0.81 +/- 0.26, 0.97 +/- 0.20 and 0.88 +/- 0.11 in fetal lung in the control group. The relative values of mRNAs of SP-A, SP-B and SP-C to beta-actin were 1.04 +/- 0.16, 1.28 +/- 0.29, 1.09 +/- 0.25 in fetal lungs of the ambroxol injected rats, and were 1.08 +/- 0.25, 1.23 +/- 0.35, 1.21 +/- 0.25 in fetal lungs of the dexamethasone injected rats, respectively. Both ambroxol and dexamethasone-treated rats had significantly higher mRNA expression of surfactant proteins compared to the control saline injected animals (P < 0.05). (4) There were no significant differences between ambroxol and dexamethasone in the effects of increasing expressions of surfactant protein mRNAs (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONAntepartum administration of both ambroxol and dexamethasone can significantly increase fetal lung SP-A, SP-B and SP-C mRNAs expression.