Glucocorticoids and foetal heart maturation; implications for prematurity and foetal programming

Eva A Rog-Zielinska; Rachel V Richardson; Martin A Denvir; Karen E Chapman

doi:10.1530/JME-13-0204

Glucocorticoids and foetal heart maturation; implications for prematurity and foetal programming

Eva A Rog-Zielinska, Rachel V Richardson, Martin A Denvir, Karen E Chapman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review

Abstract

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, essential in mammals to prepare for life after birth. Blood levels of glucocorticoids (cortisol in most mammals including humans; corticosterone in rats and mice) rise dramatically shortly before birth. This is mimicked clinically in the routine administration of synthetic glucocorticoids to pregnant women threatened by a preterm birth or to preterm infants to improve neonatal survival. Whilst effects on lung are well documented and essential for postnatal survival, those on heart are less well known. In this study, we review recent evidence for a crucial role of glucocorticoids in late gestational heart maturation. Either insufficient or excessive glucocorticoid exposure before birth may alter the normal glucocorticoid-regulated trajectory of heart maturation with potential life-long consequences.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	R125-35
Journal	Journal of molecular endocrinology
Volume	52
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1530/JME-13-0204
Publication status	Published - Apr 2014

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Animals
Fetal Development
Fetal Heart
Glucocorticoids
Humans
Organogenesis
Premature Birth
Receptors, Glucocorticoid

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10.1530/JME-13-0204

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title = "Glucocorticoids and foetal heart maturation; implications for prematurity and foetal programming",

abstract = "Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, essential in mammals to prepare for life after birth. Blood levels of glucocorticoids (cortisol in most mammals including humans; corticosterone in rats and mice) rise dramatically shortly before birth. This is mimicked clinically in the routine administration of synthetic glucocorticoids to pregnant women threatened by a preterm birth or to preterm infants to improve neonatal survival. Whilst effects on lung are well documented and essential for postnatal survival, those on heart are less well known. In this study, we review recent evidence for a crucial role of glucocorticoids in late gestational heart maturation. Either insufficient or excessive glucocorticoid exposure before birth may alter the normal glucocorticoid-regulated trajectory of heart maturation with potential life-long consequences.",

keywords = "Animals, Fetal Development, Fetal Heart, Glucocorticoids, Humans, Organogenesis, Premature Birth, Receptors, Glucocorticoid",

author = "Rog-Zielinska, {Eva A} and Richardson, {Rachel V} and Denvir, {Martin A} and Chapman, {Karen E}",

year = "2014",

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doi = "10.1530/JME-13-0204",

language = "English",

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journal = "Journal of molecular endocrinology",

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T1 - Glucocorticoids and foetal heart maturation; implications for prematurity and foetal programming

AU - Rog-Zielinska, Eva A

AU - Richardson, Rachel V

AU - Denvir, Martin A

AU - Chapman, Karen E

PY - 2014/4

Y1 - 2014/4

N2 - Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, essential in mammals to prepare for life after birth. Blood levels of glucocorticoids (cortisol in most mammals including humans; corticosterone in rats and mice) rise dramatically shortly before birth. This is mimicked clinically in the routine administration of synthetic glucocorticoids to pregnant women threatened by a preterm birth or to preterm infants to improve neonatal survival. Whilst effects on lung are well documented and essential for postnatal survival, those on heart are less well known. In this study, we review recent evidence for a crucial role of glucocorticoids in late gestational heart maturation. Either insufficient or excessive glucocorticoid exposure before birth may alter the normal glucocorticoid-regulated trajectory of heart maturation with potential life-long consequences.

AB - Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, essential in mammals to prepare for life after birth. Blood levels of glucocorticoids (cortisol in most mammals including humans; corticosterone in rats and mice) rise dramatically shortly before birth. This is mimicked clinically in the routine administration of synthetic glucocorticoids to pregnant women threatened by a preterm birth or to preterm infants to improve neonatal survival. Whilst effects on lung are well documented and essential for postnatal survival, those on heart are less well known. In this study, we review recent evidence for a crucial role of glucocorticoids in late gestational heart maturation. Either insufficient or excessive glucocorticoid exposure before birth may alter the normal glucocorticoid-regulated trajectory of heart maturation with potential life-long consequences.

KW - Animals

KW - Fetal Development

KW - Fetal Heart

KW - Glucocorticoids

KW - Humans

KW - Organogenesis

KW - Premature Birth

KW - Receptors, Glucocorticoid

U2 - 10.1530/JME-13-0204

DO - 10.1530/JME-13-0204

M3 - Literature review

C2 - 24299741

SN - 0952-5041

VL - 52

SP - R125-35

JO - Journal of molecular endocrinology

JF - Journal of molecular endocrinology

IS - 2

ER -

Glucocorticoids and foetal heart maturation; implications for prematurity and foetal programming

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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