Maternal Nexposure on Collagen Type IV Pulmonary Changes in Mouse Offsprings

In this study we evaluated the effect of maternal nicotine administration during pre and postnatal period on collagen IV changes in lung of mouse newborns.Female Balb/C mice were mated and finding vaginal plug was assumed as day zero of pregnancy. Pregnant mice, were divided into 2 experimental and 2 control groups. Experimental group 1, received 3 mg/kg nicotine intrapritoneally from day 5 of gestation to last day of pregnancy. Experimental group 2 received the same amount of nicotine during the same gestational days as well as the first two week after birth (lactation). The control groups received the same volume of normal saline during the same periods. At the end of exposure time, all of newborns (experimental and control) were anesthetized and their lungs were removed and immunohistochemical study for tracing collagen were carried out. Our finding indicated that collagen reaction in the bronchial basement membrane (BBM) and extra cellular matrix (ECM) of lung parenchyma in experimental increased significantly in comparison to control groups. Cell necrosis definition in lung parenchyma of experimental group 2 were the other finding that our investigation achieved. These data indicate that maternal nicotine exposure may induce a noticeable increasing collagen reasonable in BBM and ECM of respiratory system of next generation. The lungs of these animals which were exposed to nicotine via the placenta and mother's milk, are more susceptible to damages such as abnormal collagen synthesis and cell necrosis.