Bone growth in IUGR rats treated with growth hormone: a multivariate approach.

QUINTERO FA, ORDEN AB, FUCINI MC, OYHENART EE, GUIMAREY LM.

European Journal of Anatomy

Sociedad Anatómica Española

Lugar: Salamanca; Año: 2005 vol. 9 p. 149 - 154

1136-4890

SUMMARYUMMARY The aim of this study was to assess the morphological changes (in size and shape) in Intrauterine Growth Retarded (IUGR) rats treated with growth hormone. Wistar albino rats were divided into the following groups: Control, Sham-operated, Intrauterine growth retarded, and Intrauterine growth retarded injected with growth hormone. Intrauterine growth retardation was induced by partial bending of uterine vessels on day 14 of pregnancy. After weaning, all groups received a stock diet ad libitum. At 84 days of age, the animals were X-rayed on the dorsal and lateral planes. Cranial and postcranial measurements were taken on each radiograph. Data were standardized and processed by principal component and discriminant analysis. Both the first component and discriminant function revealed size differences between sexes and treatments. Males were larger than females. Sham males were the largest, followed by intrauterine growth retarded animals treated with growth hormone and intrauterine growth retarded rats. Sham and intrauterine growth retarded females treated with growth hormone were similar and larger than their IUGR counterparts. The second and subsequent components and discriminant functions described shape variations. Sham and intrauterine growth retarded animals treated with growth hormone formed a single cluster separated from intrauterine growth retarded rats. Intrauterine growth retardation produces a differential reduction of bone dimensions, i.e. a modification of allometric growth. Growth hormone seems to promote harmonic growth recovery (size and shape) only in females.