THE INCREASED ENDOTOXIN-SENSITIVITY OF PREGNANT RATS, AS REFLECTED BYGLOMERULAR ECTO-ADP-ASE ACTIVITY, IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THE PRESENCE OFDECIDUAL CELLS

In the present study the possible role of decidual cells in the pregna ncy-associated increased sensitivity of glomerular ecto-ADP-ase to end otoxin was investigated. Early (day 5) pregnant (E-Pr; n = 10), pseudo pregnant (E-PSP; n = 10), (day 5), pseudopregnant rats with a decidual ized uterus (E-DEC; n = 10), as well as late (day 14) pregnant (L-Pr; n = 10), pseudopregnant (L-PSP; n = 10) (day 14), and pseudopregnant r ats with a decidualized uterus (E-DEC; n = 10) were infused with eithe r endotoxin (1.0 mg/kg bw) or saline. Three days later rats were kille d and specimens of the left kidney were snap-frozen. Cryostat kidney s ections (4 mu m) were stained for ecto-ADP-ase activitity and quantita tively evaluated. The results show that only glomerular ecto-ADP-ase a ctivity of both groups of pregnant rats (E-Pr and L-Pr) was significan tly decreased after endotoxin infusion as compared to saline infusion. In the other groups of rats, no significant differences in ecto-ADP-a se activity were observed between saline and endotoxin infusion. It is concluded that decidual cells do not play a role in the increased sen sitivity of ecto-ADP-ase to endotoxin during pregnancy. (C) 1996 W. B. Saunders Company Ltd