# FETAL ENDOCRINE-CARDIOVASCULAR RELATIONSHIPS

> **NIH NIH R01** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY · 1994 · $183,194

## Abstract

The overall goal of this research effort is to study the development of the
integration of endocrine-cardiovascular relationships.  This application
focuses on the ontogeny of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and includes
experiments to test three specific hypotheses.  The first hypothesis is
that the expression of the renin gene in the mammalian kidney increases
after 100 days of gestation, peaks in the perinatal period and is
accompanied by increases in the concentrations of active and total renin
and in the ability of the kidney to secrete active and inactive renin in
vivo and in vitro.  The second hypothesis is that the prolonged increase in
plasma cortisol concentration which occurs in late gestation and peaks in
the perinatal period is essential for the increase in renal renin gene
expression, for the increase in the renal concentrations of active and
total renin and for the increase in the ability of the kidney to secrete
renin in vivo and in vitro.  The third hypothesis is that a prolonged
increase in cortisol in the fetus in early gestation will cause premature
maturation of the ability of the fetal kidney to secrete active and
inactive renin in vivo and in vitro and will be accompanied by an increase
in the relative amount of renal renin messenger RNA, and in the
concentrations of active and total renin in the kidney.  The chronically
cannulated fetal, newborn and adult sheep is the model chosen for study.
With this model it is possible to study development of this system in the
absence of complications created by the presence of anesthesia and surgical
trauma which are inherent in experiments in acutely prepared animals.
Moreover, with this model it will be possible to correlate results of
physiological experiments in vivo with molecular studies in vitro to
increase our understanding of the mechanisms causing developmental
alterations in activity in the renin angiotensin system. Increasing our
understanding of the maturation of the renin angiotensin system may prove
pertinent for the development of new intrauterine therapies, and for the
improved management of the premature infant or the term infant in distress.
Also, obtaining additional knowledge regarding control elements influencing
this system could result in new information useful in understanding certain
types of hypertension in infants and adults.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2197497
- **Project number:** 5R01HD017644-10
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MBU6HCLNZ431
- **Principal Investigator:** JAMES C. ROSE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $183,194
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-01-01 → 1996-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2197497

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2197497, FETAL ENDOCRINE-CARDIOVASCULAR RELATIONSHIPS (5R01HD017644-10). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2197497. Licensed CC0.

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