Journal of North Khorasan

Background & Objectives: Epidemiologic studies showed that smoking during pregnancy and lactation periods is associated with neonatal complications such as growth retardation, congenital defects. Nicotine is the most important substance in cigarettes that can pass through the placental barrier and  even  reaches the neonate through the milk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of maternal nicotine exposures on the offspring kidney histology and expression of laminin   alpha- 5 chain in kidney extracellular matrix.

Material and Method: In this study eighteen pregnant female mice were used that divided into three groups as follow: Nicotine (3mg / kg / day) administrated intraperitoneally to pregnant mice in first group from the sixth day of gestation until delivery and similar dose injected to mice in second group from the first day of delivery until the end of lactation period. The pregnant mice in control group received same dose of normal saline. The laminin alpha-5 reaction and gene expression was assayed in the first and twenty days after delivery in offspring kidney tissue. The results were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and one-way ANOVA tests.

Results: Immunohistochemical (IHC) test results showed maternal nicotine receiving during gestation period reduced the intensity of laminin alpha 5 reactions significantly in glomerular matrix compared to lactation period.

Conclusion: We conclude that inhibition of Laminin&alpha5expression in the embryonic kidney extracellular matrix that induced by maternal nicotine may be suppressed the nephrogenesis process during renal organogenesis.

Key words: nicotine, Laminin&alpha5, kidney, extracellular matrix