Abstract
Progesterone (P) is a respiratory stimulant in adults. Since preterm babies are chronically deprived from placental P and exhibit delayed development of respiratory control and respiratory disorders affecting particularly males, our hypothesis is that there is a sex‐specific effect of P on respiratory control development. Lactating female rats were implanted with osmotic minipump delivering P or vehicle during postnatal days 1–14. Respiratory and metabolic studies were performed using whole body plethysmography in male and female rats at postnatal days 3 (P3) and 12 (P12) under normoxia and hypoxia (10% O2). There was no apparent effect of P in P3 pups, but P decreased ventilation and metabolic rate in P12 females. P increased HVR in P12 rats: slightly in males and dramatically in females. Moreover, in P12 P totally abolished the inhibitory effect of a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (domperidone injected ip) on HVR in males. In P12 females domperidone injection did not completely abolished the effects of P on HVR. These results suggest that P accelerates the maturation of HVR and induces sex‐specific effects on peripheral chemoreceptors neurochemistry. Founded by FRSQ, Sick Kids Foundation, CIHR.
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