Dexamethasone treatment during pregnancy influences the number of TSH cells in rat fetuses

Glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones control many aspects of fetal development. Using immunohistochemistry and stereology, in the present study we investigated the effects of dexamethasone (Dx) administration during pregnancy on pituitary TSH cells of 19-day-old fetuses. Doses of 1.0, 0.5, and 0.5 mg Dx/kg bw/day were given to the dams on three consecutive days starting on day 16 of gestation. Administration of Dx to pregnant rats induced a significant decline of fetal TSH cell number per unit of area and their volume density in comparison with the corresponding controls. Our results showed that maternal Dx administration inhibited multiplication of TSH cells in 19-day-old fetuses.Glukokortikoidi i tiroidni hormoni kontrolišu brojne aspekte razvoja fetusa. Koristeći imunocitohemijui stereološke metode ispitivali smo efekte primene deksametazona (Dks) tokom gestacije na TSH ćelije hipofize fetusa pacova starih 19 dana. Doze od 1.0, 0.5 i 0.5 mg Dks/kg tm/dan primenjivane su gravidnim ženkama tri uzastopna dana, počev od 16. dana gestacije. Tretman Dks kod gravidnih ženki uzrokuje značajno smanjenje broja TSH ćelija fetusa po jedinici površine i njihove volumenske gustine u poređenju sa odgovarajućim kontrolama. Naši rezultati pokazuju da maternalna primena Dks inhibira multiplikaciju TSH ćelija kod fetusa starih 19 dana.Projekat ministarstva br. 143007