PRENATAL ADMINISTRATION OF GRANULOCYTE-MACROPHAGE COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR INCREASES MESENCHYMAL VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR EXPRESSION AND MATURATION IN FETAL RAT LUNG
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The aim of this study was to determine influence of prenatal granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) administration on lung growth, maturation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Twenty Wistar rats received sterile saline (1 mL) or recombinant human GM-CSF (50 g/kg) on day 16 of pregnancy. Rats were sacrificed on days 18 and 20 of gestation. H-score for VEGF was calculated immunohistochemically. Alveolar VEGF expression on days 18 and 20 of gestation was significantly higher in the GM-CSF group (P .01). Increase in VEGF with prenatal GM-CSF administration indicates that GM-CSF may stimulate lung growth and maturation and may be protective against lung disease due to prematurity.