GLUCOSE-METABOLISM, TRIGLYCERIDE AND GLYCOGEN LEVELS, AS WELL AS EICOSANOID PRODUCTION IN ISOLATED UTERINE STRIPS AND IN EMBRYOS IN A RAT MODEL OF NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS DURING PREGNANCY

Spontaneous contractile activity, glucose (Glu), glycogen (GLY), trigl yceride (TG) metabolism and eicosanoid production, was evaluated in is olated uterine strips from control and non-insulin-dependent diabetic rats on day 10 of pregnancy. Metabolism of Glu, levels of GLY and TG a nd eicosanoid production were also studied in day 10 embryos obtained from both experimental groups. ''in vitro'' isometric developed tensio n (IDT), was similar at 0 hr in control and diabetic uterine preparati ons, but IDT was decreased after a 60 min incubation in the diabetic g roup. The frequency of contractions (FC) was similar at 0 hr and after 60 min incubation in both experimental groups. On the other hand, the production of (CO2)-C-14 from (UC)-C-14-glucose was lower in isolated uteri and embryos obtained from diabetic rats than in controls. Initi al TG levels were similar in uteri isolated from control and diabetic rats, and higher in embryos obtained from diabetic mothers than in con trols. Levels of TG in uterine strips suspended in Glu or Glu-free med ium did not differ at 0 hr or at 60 min either in controls or in diabe tic rats. On the contrary GLY levels in uterine strips from diabetic a nimals were higher than in controls, whereas in embryos from diabetic mothers GLY levels were similar to controls. Levels of GLY in uterine strips from controls and diabetic decreased after 60 min incubation on ly in the absence of Glu in th incubation medium. Production of PGE(2) , PGE(1), 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) PGF(2 alpha) TXB(2) and LTB(4) was studi ed in uterine strips and embryos obtained from control and diabetic ra ts. No differences were found between control and diabetic uterine pro stanoid production, but lower production LTB(4) was observed in diabet ic uteri. However production of PGE(2) and PGF(2 alpha) was greater in embryos obtained from diabetic mothers than in controls. In this stud y, we observed lower uterine metabolic alterations than in the pancrea tectomized diabetic rat model studied previously, but important anomal ies in the embryos obtained from non-insulin-dependent diabetic mother were found.