Figure 1.
The changes of airway resistance (RL) and the cell counts in the BALF of maternal rats.
A: RL in maternal rats. B: The total cell counts in the BALF of maternal rats. C: The number of neutrophils and eosinophils in BALF of maternal rats. The values are means ± SEM (n = 8); * P<0.05 vs. CP, ▴<0.05 vs. AP.
Figure 2.
Histopathology examination of lung in each maternal group.
No obvious lesions of airway structure were appeared in CP rats. Bronchial epithelial shedding, eosinophil and neutrophils infiltration surrounding airway were found in AP rats, and these pathological changes were aggravated in NP rats and alleviated in ANP rats. (The magnification of the image is 100 ×).
Figure 3.
Histopathology examination of adrenal medulla in maternal rats.
The shape of adrenal medullar cell was regular, and damaged structure was not observed in CP rats. Adrenal medulla vacuolar degeneration and lipid increases were observed in AP rats, which was aggravated in NP rats and alleviated in ANP rats. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).
Figure 4.
Electron micrograph of adrenal medulla in maternal rats.
AMCC lined up tightly in order, containing round nucleus, abundant chromatin granules, and mitochondrion with clear structures in CP rats. Mitochondrion swelled, lipid increased and chromaffin granules decreased in AP and NP rats (thin arrow). Cytoplasm lamellar-like structure appeared in NP rats (hollow arrow); Lesions were alleviated and appeared more collagen tissue, which divided adrenal medulla into island in AP rats (thick arrow). (The magnification of the image is 10000 ×).
Figure 5.
Histopathology examination of adrenal medulla in offspring rat.
P3:postnatal day 3;P7:postnatal day 7; P14:postnatal day 14; P30:postnatal day 30; P60:postnatal day 60; Adrenal medulla cells showed cytoplasm edema, some spindle shape chromaffin cells with decreased particles and a small amount of connective tissue in OAP and ONP rats from P3 to P60. AMCC decreased and a large number of connective tissues separated medulla from P3 to P60 in OANP rats. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).
Figure 6.
Electron micrograph of adrenal medulla in offspring rat.
The adrenal medulla cells of OAP and ONP rats showed edema of cytoplasm and mitochondrial, vacuolar degeneration, deceased EPI secretory granule. chromaffin cells appeared fiber outgrowth and changed into spindle shape with long fusiform nucleus from P3 to P14(thin arrow). From P30 to P60, vacuolar degeneration showed decreased and the PEI secretory granule become increasing. At the same time, nerve fibers of ONP rats were rich in density, myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers can be seen (hollow arrow). There were mitochondrial edema and decreased chromaffin with enriched EPI granules in OANP rats. More collagen emerged and divided adrenal medulla into island from P30 to P60 (thick arrow). (The magnification of the image is 10000 ×).
Figure 7.
Serum levels of EPI, NGF and corticosterone in rats.
A: Serum levels of EPI decreased significantly in NP rats compared to CP rats. B: Serum levels of EPI decreased in OAP rats from P3 to P14 compared to OCP rats and regained normal level from P30 to P60; however, in ONP rats, from P3 to P60, serum levels of EPI were lower than those in OCP rats; there is significant increase in OANP rats compared to OAP rats from P3 to P14. C: Serum levels of NGF were significantly increased in AP and NP rats compared to CP rats. Serum NGF levels decreased in ANP rats compared with OAP rats. D: Compared to OCP rats, serum levels of NGF increased from P3 to P7 in OAP and ONP rats and regained normal level from P14 to P60. Compared with OAP rats, serum NGF levels in OANP rats were lower from P3 to P7 and no significant difference from P14 to P60. E: Serum levels corticosterone increased in AP and NP rats compared to CP rats, while ANP rats showed a decline tendency compared to AP rats. F: Serum levels of corticosterone in OAP and ONP rats increased significantly compared to OCP rats from P3 to P60, while those in OANP rats were lower compared to OAP. Values are expressed as mean ±SEM(n = 8); * P<0.05 vs CP/OCP, ▴P<0.05 vs AP/OAP.
Figure 8.
PNMT immunochemistry in adrenal medulla of maternal rats.
The expression of PNMT decreased in NP rats significantly compared with CP rats. IOD values are expressed as mean ±SEM(n = 8); * P<0.05 vs CP. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).
Figure 9.
PNMT immunochemistry in adrenal medulla of offspring rats.
The expression of PNMT protein in the OAP and ONP rats adrenal medulla decreased significantly compared to OCP rats from P3 to P14 and gradually increased in OAP rats from P 30 to P60, there was a trend towards a lower expression in ONP rats. The expressions of PNMT protein in OANP rats increased from P3 to P14 and showed no significant difference compared with OAP rats from P30 to P60. IOD values are expressed as mean ±SEM(n = 8); * P<0.05 vs. OCP, ▴<0.05 vs. OAP. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).
Figure 10.
NGF immunochemistry in adrenal medulla of maternal rats.
NGF protein in AP and NP rats were significantly higher than that in CP rats. NGF expression decreased in ANP rats compared with AP rats. IOD values are expressed as mean ±SEM(n = 8); * P<0.05 vs CP, ▴P<0.05 vs AP. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).
Figure 11.
NGF immunochemistry in adrenal medulla of offspring rats.
The expression of NGF increased in OAP and ONP rats adrenal medulla compared to OCP rats from P3 to P14 and return to normal level from P30 to P60. The expressions of NGF protein in OANP rats decreased from P3 to P14 compared to OAP. IOD values are expressed as mean ±SEM(n = 8); * P<0.05 vs. OCP, ▴<0.05 vs OAP. (The magnification of the image is 400 ×).