Increases in the 35kDa surfactant‐associated protein and its mRNA following <i>in vivo</i> dexamethasone treatment of fetal and neonatal rats

Abstract

Abstract Fetal and neonatal rats were treated with dexamethasone in vivo and the effect of this treatment on the 35kDa surfactant‐associated protein was examined. Dexamethasone treatment increased the levels of translatable mRNA for the 35kDa protein from day 19 of gestation until at least 6 days after birth. Prior to gestational day 19, no glucocorticoid effect was seen although the mRNA was detectable as early as gestational day 16. Similar results were seen when [ 35 S]methionine‐labeled 35kDa protein was immunoprecipitated and subjected to two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis.