The effects of maternal health on fetal kidney development and its function

Funded Activity Summary

There is an epidemic of renal disease among Australian aborigines. While much of this could have been prevented by effective control of Group A streptococcal skin infections, there is also evidence that the high susceptibility to end-stage renal disease is related to poor intrauterine development of the kidney as low- birth weight is a predisposing factor. Mothers, whose renal function is impaired, tend to have babies which are low birth weight. There is no knowledge about the effects of maternal renal dysfunction on development of the fetal kidney. We have recently developed an animal model in which we can study the effects of maternal renal dysfunction on the development of the kidney of her offspring. Human beings form 60% of the functional units (nephrons) in the kidney in the last trimester. Sheep, like human beings (and unlike rats), completely form all the nephrons that they will ever have, during intrauterine life. While the fetal kidneys play an essential role in the formation of amniotic fluid, regulation of fetal fluid and electrolyte homeostasis depends on maternal renal function via transplacental transfer. If maternal renal function is reduced, it is likely that the fetal kidneys will be exposed to a greater volume and solute load through transplacental equilibration. This may have a profund effect on renal development especially if coupled with an inadequate maternal diet and a high maternal salt intake. Under these conditions we predict that development of the fetal kidney will be impaired and renal capacity after birth, reduced. This means that the kidney will 'age' more rapidly. Thus the affected individual would be predisposed to renal disease in adult life. In our animal model we will study the effects and interactions of maternal renal insufficiency, poor fetal nutrition and a high maternal salt intake on fetal kidney development and function.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2001

End Date: 01-01-2003

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $297,338.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Public health nutrition

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

development kidney; adult renal disease and hypertension | fetal renin angiotensin system and kidney development | fetal undernutrition and renal development | in utero nutrition and incidence adult renal disease | maternal renal disease and fetal growth | maternal renal disease and fetal renal development | maternal renal disease in pregnancy and fetal health | maternal salt intake and fetal renal development | renal development & renal disease & hypertension as adults

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