Cell number and size in selected organs of fetuses of rats malnourished and exposed to nitrofen.

The effects of maternal exposure to nitrofen or protein-energy malnutrition on the number and sizes of cells in selected organs of the fetal rat have been studied. Pregnant rats were fed either an adequate (CON) or protein-energy deficient diet (PEM) throughout gestation. Each diet group was divided into two subgroups. One subgroup was gavaged with 25 mg nitrofen/kg body weight on gestational days 7-21 and the other, with corn oil carrier only. Fetal liver, kidneys, intestine, heart, lung, and brain were weighed and assayed for DNA, RNA, and protein. Maternal protein deficiency resulted in a reduction in organ weight and total DNA, RNA, and protein in all six organs. Maternal nitrofen exposure resulted in reduced weight and reduced protein in all organs except the brain. Total DNA and RNA were reduced in intestine, heart, and lung, and total RNA was also reduced in the liver following maternal nitrofen exposure. An interaction between diet and toxin affected lung weight, DNA, RNA, and protein, intestinal total protein, and heart DNA. Protein/DNA ratios were reduced in liver, intestine, and brain in the group fed the inadequate diet and in intestine only following nitrofen exposure. The deficient diet resulted in increased RNA/DNA ratio in the fetal liver and heart and a decreased ratio in the kidney and brain. Nitrofen exposure resulted in a lower RNA/DNA ratio in the liver. The data indicate that maternal protein-energy malnutrition results in smaller organs in the fetuses with fewer cells and containing less protein and RNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)