Biomaterial Database

Caffeine administered during pregnancy augments subsequent lactation in mice. 1991

L G Sheffield

Dairy Sci. Dept., University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.

Mice were administered caffeine (500 mg/liter of drinking water) from d 1 until d 18 of pregnancy. Before and after receiving caffeine, mice were given distilled water for drinking, as were controls. Litter size, birth weight, and offspring survival were not affected by caffeine, but litter weight on d 15 of lactation was increased by caffeine 84.0 +/- 3.1 g (n = 8) in controls vs 98.3 +/- 3.7 g (n = 7) in caffeine-treated mice (P less than .05). Mammary gland cell number, measured by the DNA content of mammae, was increased by giving caffeine during pregnancy (P less than .05). On d 18 of pregnancy, mammary DNA was .47 +/- .07 mg (n = 6) in controls vs .71 +/- .11 mg (n = 6) in caffeine-treated mice. On d 15 of lactation, mammary DNA was .96 +/- .12 mg (n = 8) in control vs 1.26 +/- .11 mg (n = 7) in caffeine-treated mice. RNA increased (P less than .05) parallel to DNA. In additional experiments, litters were cross-fostered and standardized to eight pups per litter. Mice were bred and caffeine was administered as described previously. At birth, eight pups from mice treated with caffeine or as controls during the preceding pregnancy were fostered to a control or caffeine-treated mother. In these experiments, litter weight on d 15 of lactation was 82 g for control litters nursing control mothers, 84 g for caffeine litters nursing control mothers, 96 g for control litters nursing caffeine mothers, and 99 g for caffeine litters nursing caffeine mothers (n = 7 per groups, pooled SE = +/- 3.4 g).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007774	Lactation	The processes of milk secretion by the maternal MAMMARY GLANDS after PARTURITION. The proliferation of the mammary glandular tissue, milk synthesis, and milk expulsion or let down are regulated by the interactions of several hormones including ESTRADIOL; PROGESTERONE; PROLACTIN; and OXYTOCIN.	Lactation, Prolonged,Milk Secretion,Lactations, Prolonged,Milk Secretions,Prolonged Lactation,Prolonged Lactations
D008098	Litter Size	The number of offspring produced at one birth by a viviparous animal.	Litter Sizes,Size, Litter,Sizes, Litter
D008321	Mammary Glands, Animal	MAMMARY GLANDS in the non-human MAMMALS.	Mammae,Udder,Animal Mammary Glands,Animal Mammary Gland,Mammary Gland, Animal,Udders
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011270	Pregnancy, Animal	The process of bearing developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero in non-human mammals, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Animal Pregnancies,Animal Pregnancy,Pregnancies, Animal
D001724	Birth Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth
D002110	Caffeine	A methylxanthine naturally occurring in some beverages and also used as a pharmacological agent. Caffeine's most notable pharmacological effect is as a central nervous system stimulant, increasing alertness and producing agitation. It also relaxes SMOOTH MUSCLE, stimulates CARDIAC MUSCLE, stimulates DIURESIS, and appears to be useful in the treatment of some types of headache. Several cellular actions of caffeine have been observed, but it is not entirely clear how each contributes to its pharmacological profile. Among the most important are inhibition of cyclic nucleotide PHOSPHODIESTERASES, antagonism of ADENOSINE RECEPTORS, and modulation of intracellular calcium handling.	1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine,Caffedrine,Coffeinum N,Coffeinum Purrum,Dexitac,Durvitan,No Doz,Percoffedrinol N,Percutaféine,Quick-Pep,Vivarin,Quick Pep,QuickPep
D002452	Cell Count	The number of CELLS of a specific kind, usually measured per unit volume or area of sample.	Cell Density,Cell Number,Cell Counts,Cell Densities,Cell Numbers,Count, Cell,Counts, Cell,Densities, Cell,Density, Cell,Number, Cell,Numbers, Cell
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D005260	Female		Females