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India's rich diversity encompasses individuals from varied geographical, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. In the field of population genetics, comprehending the genetic diversity across distinct populations plays a crucial role. This study presents significant findings from genetic data obtained from the Sikkimese population of India. Autosomal markers were crucial for evaluating forensic parameters, with a combined paternity index of 1 × 10 9 . Notably, Penta E emerged as a distinguishing marker for individual identification in the Sikkim population. Fst genetic distance values revealed insights into genetic isolation among different groups, enhancing our understanding of population dynamics in the central Himalayan region. The NJ-based phylogenetic tree highlighted close genetic relationships, of the Sikkim population with the Nepalese population surrounding neighbouring Himalayan populations providing glimpses into common ancestry. In summary, this study contributes valuable data to population genetics and underscores the importance of genetic variation in comprehending population dynamics and forensic applications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

DNA technology is the gold standard with respect to the identification of individuals from biological evidence. The technology offers the convenience of a universally similar approach and methodology for analysis across the globe. However, the technology has not realised its full potential in India due to the lack of a DNA database and lacunae in sample collection and preservation from the scene of crime and victims (especially those of sexual assault). Further, statistical interpretation of DNA results is non-existent in the majority of cases. Though the latest technologies and developments in the field of DNA analysis are being adopted and implemented,very little has been enacted practically to improve optimise sample collection and preservation. This article discusses current casework scenarios that highlight the pitfalls and ambiguous areas in the field of DNA analysis, especially with respect DNA databases, sampling, andstatistical approaches to genetic data analysis. Possible solutions and mitigation measures are suggested., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the study is to evaluate the suitability of STRs for molecular characterization and forensic applications in unrelated Brahmins of Rajasthan and Haryana states, India., Materials and Methods: A total of 203 male DNA samples from various districts of Haryana (n=104) and Rajasthan (n=99) were genotyped using the GlobalFiler ® PCR Amplification Kit. Allelic frequencies and different forensic parameters like PD, PE, PIC, PM, Ho, He, UHe, and TPI were calculated with different software., Results: More than 200 alleles were present in both populations, ranging from 6.0 to 35.2 and SE33 was the most polymorphic marker. The combined power of discrimination was 1. To know the relatedness with other Indian Brahmin populations, the UPGMA dendrogram and principal component analysis plot were visualized to show that both populations are close to each other and in nearby Saraswat Brahmins of Himachal Pradesh. This study showed a genetic relationship and forensic examination in the Haryana and Rajasthan Brahmin populations and various ethno-linguistically diverse populations of India., Conclusion: The results imply that the highly polymorphic 21 autosomal STR loci might be applied for individuals' forensic identification and parentage testing. This study also suggests that the kit having both autosomal and Y-STR markers is appropriate for a better understanding of the genetic and forensic examination in the Brahmin population of Haryana and Rajasthan., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Background: STR (Short Tandem Repeat) markers are highly polymorphic markers, which are widely used in forensics DNA analysis and aid to ascertain unique genotype profiles of individuals and determine the genetic diversity of the given population., Aim: In the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the population genetic diversity of the Ramgharia Sikh population of Punjab, India, using 21 autosomal STR loci (D3S1358, vWA, D16S539, CSF1PO, TPOX, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D2S441, D19S433, TH01, FGA, D22S1045, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, SE33, D10S1248, D1S1656, D12S391, and D2S1338) to augment the emerging forensic database related to the indigenous population of India., Subjects and Methods: For generation of the database, 200 (blood on FTA card) samples were obtained from genetically unrelated Ramgharia Sikhs residing in the state of Punjab. Twenty-one autosomal STR markers were analysed using the Globalfiler ® PCR amplification kit., Results: With the help of various statistical tools, a total of 232 alleles were observed and 11.048 ± 1.284 (mean ± standard deviation) alleles per locus were recorded. No locus deviated from Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium. SE33 locus was found to be the most polymorphic and exhibited the highest discrimination power, that is, 0.99. Moreover, results further indicated that Ramgharia Sikhs of Punjab showed a high affinity with Bhils of Madhya Pradesh (India). Thus, the studied population showed genetic proximity with the geographically close populations of India and showed significant genetic variations with distant populations, which was evident from the UPGMA tree and Principal Component Analysis plot., Conclusion: Overall, the 21 autosomal STRs were found to be polymorphic in the Ramgharia population and suitable for forensic casework and studies on population genetics.

India's largest state Rajasthan is known for its variable population groups including castes, communities and tribes. In the present article, Y-STR polymorphisms of hundred unrelated healthy male volunteers from the Brahmin population of Rajasthan, India were investigated using the Powerplex® Y-23 PCR amplification kit. Total 94 distinct haplotypes were obtained out of them 93 were singletons. Haplotype Diversity (HD) and Discrimination Capacity (DC) for the population were 0.644 and 0.9894 respectively. The Intra-population relationship between the present population data and other reported Indian populations was examined through Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) Plot, which shows the Brahmin population of Rajasthan lies in a cluster with the Brahmin populations of Haryana and Maharashtra. Data generated with 23 Y-STR markers is submitted on Y chromosome haplotype reference database (YHRD) (yhrd.org) and it will robust the forensic database of the Rajasthan population of India., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Keeping in view the diverse demography of India, present study was undertaken to explore the molecular characterization and forensic relevance of 20 autosomal STRs for the highly diverse population of north Indian state Himachal Pradesh. 724 unrelated individuals from the admixed population of Himachal Pradesh were undertaken for present study and 20 autosomal STRs used to explore genomic diversity of studied population. A total of 270 different alleles along with 13.5 alleles per locus were observed. The allele 8 of the locus TPOX was observed as the most frequent allele. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.677 to 0.898, which supported wide range of selection of the unrelated individuals for this study. Combined power of discrimination, power of exclusion, matching probability and paternity index were observed as 1, 0.9999999958, 3.9 × 10 -26 and 2.3 × 10 8 respectively, across the studied loci. In the population differentiation test, studied population showed genetic relatedness with Indian population rather than the populations of West, North and North east countries. Present study deciphered the novel autosomal STR data, which could be useful for the forensic application and population genetic studies., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to investigate the genetic and forensic attributes of Uttarakhand population based on 20 autosomal STR loci implemented in PowerPlex® 21 System. Results unveiled 219 alleles ranging from 6 (TH01, TPOX) to 20 (Penta E). Forensic analysis revealed locus Penta E as the most polymorphic and discriminative loci, whereas genetic analysis indicated presence of higher heterozygosity within population. Phylogenetic analysis indicated higher genetic affinity of Uttarakhand population with the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh population. Overall, the study indicates that the PowerPlex® 21 System is suitable for genetic and forensic analysis in Uttarakhand population., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: Human identification systems based on STRs are widely used in human population genetics and forensic analysis. This study aimed to validate the cross-reactivity of three widely known human-specific STR identification systems i.e. GlobalFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit, Investigator 24plex QS Kit, and PowerPlex® Fusion 6C in chimpanzee., Results: The present study revealed the successful amplification of 18 loci using GlobalFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit, 18 loci using Investigator 24plex QS Kit, and 20 loci using PowerPlex® Fusion 6C system. The marker Amelogenin (AMEL) showed differential allele size between male and female revealing the gender identity of chimpanzees and thus validates their application concerning forensic examination, population estimation, and genetic analysis.

In Indian montane system, human populations often exhibit an unparallel social organization where inter-caste marriages are still not common. This attribute affects the demography and population genetic structure of the resident populations. Further, human populations residing in the mountains in India are poorly studied for their genetic make-up and allele distribution patterns. In the present study, we genotyped 594 unrelated individuals using PowerPlex® 21 System (Promega, USA) from eight different populations belonging to 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh which differed in ethnicity, language, geography and social organization. Altogether, we obtained 1415 alleles with a mean of 8.84 ± 0.26 alleles per locus and 0.80 mean observed heterozygosity. Locus Penta E showed the highest combined power of discrimination and was found most informative for forensic purposes. Interestingly, phylogenetic analysis grouped the populations of Rajputs, Scheduled castes and Brahmins into one cluster, which indicated a deep genetic admixture in the ancestral populations. This study documents the first-ever report on the population genetic assignment of various castes in Himachal Pradesh and unveils the facts of cryptic gene flow among the diverse castes in the northern hilly state of India. Our results showed a genetic relationship among the various ethno-linguistically diverse populations of India., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Genetic diversity indices and forensic parameters at 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci were evaluated in 233 unrelated individuals of Himachal Pradesh, India. In total, 255 alleles were observed with an average of 11.25 ± 0.88 alleles per locus. None of the loci deviated from Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium. The most polymorphic and discriminative locus was Penta E. The combined power of exclusion and the combined power of discrimination were found to be 0.99 and 1. Additionally, the genetic relationship of the Himachal Pradesh population with the populations of the neighboring state was also investigated. All the STR loci were found polymorphic, and the select panel of STRs was found suitable for population genetic studies and forensic analysis.

Background: The Jat Sikh population is the largest endogamous group of Punjab, a state in north-west India, and has not yet been explored for genetic polymorphism based on X-STR genetic markers. In India, which is the second most populous country in the world, only two population studies based on X-STR markers have been reported so far., Aim: To explore the genetic diversity of 12 X chromosomal STR genetic markers in the Jat Sikh population of Punjab and expand the X-STR polymorphism database., Subjects and Methods: In this study, a total of 200 Jat Sikh individuals (100 males and 100 females) residing in Punjab were investigated for 12 X-STR markers using the Investigator Argus X-12 QS Kit., Results: The highest power of discrimination (PD) in females (PD f ) and males (PD m ) was observed to be 0.965 (DXS10135) and 0.929 (DXS10135 and DXS10148), respectively. DXS10135 was found to be the most polymorphic and discriminating locus among all the studied loci in both males and females with highest values of power of discrimination (PD) and polymorphic information content (PIC) as well., Conclusion: Overall, the studied markers of the Argus 12 X-STR kit provide high polymorphic information which may prove to be an important tool in resolving issues such as missing person identification, incest, immigration disputes, kinship analysis and genealogical studies. The dataset obtained from this study will add to the present database of X-STRs.

In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity indices and forensic parameters of scheduled caste population of Himachal Pradesh, India, at 20 autosomal STR loci. Altogether, 233 alleles were observed with an average of 11.65 ± 0.88 alleles per locus. In exception of locus D13S317, no loci deviated from Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. Locus Penta E was found to be the most polymorphic and discriminative loci. The combined power of discrimination and the combined power of exclusion were 1 and 0.999. Further, we established the phylogenetic relationship between the scheduled caste population of Himachal Pradesh and 14 other populations of India. We found 20 autosomal STR loci used in the present study were polymorphic and can be used in population genetic studies and forensic related case works.

In the present study, genetic diversity indices and forensic parameters of Rajput population of Himachal Pradesh, India, were obtained at 20 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci included in the PowerPlex ® 21 System (Promega, USA). With 227 alleles and 11.35 ± 0.89 alleles per locus, none of the locus deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The most polymorphic and discriminative locus was Penta E. Phylogenetic tree showed high genetic affinity of Rajput population of Himachal Pradesh with Rajputs of Madhya Pradesh and Yadav of Bihar. Overall, the tested 20 autosomal STRs were polymorphic in Rajput population and found suitable in forensic casework and population genetic studies.

Objectives: The human specific commercially available STRs system are often not tested in non human primates for their cross applicability. The aim of this study is to test Cross-species validation of two commercially available human specific STR kits i.e. SureID ® 21G and SureID ® 23comp (Health Gene Technologies) for their positive application in Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)., Result: In SureID ® 21G, 19 loci amplified and while 20 loci amplified in SureID ® 23comp. All the amplified loci in both STR kits were found polymorphic and the locus Amelogenin showed differential banding patterns between male and female revealing their known gender. The present study validates the applicability of these human specific STR kits in Chimpanzee that can be used in forensics analysis, paternity testing and population genetic studies.

Objective: This study was aimed to test the PowerPlex ® 21 System (Promega, USA), used for human identification applications for its positive cross-species applicability in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in order to identify heterologous STRs which can be used for individual identification, paternity testing, relatedness establishment and reconstruction of pedigrees and studbook records for captive and wild chimpanzee breeding populations., Results: Of 21 STRs in PowerPlex ® 21 System (Promega, USA), 19 loci amplified and found to be polymorphic. Locus Aml showed differential banding patterns in males and females similar to those seen for humans and correctly assigned sexes of known identity. Altogether, 58 different alleles were found with an average 3.05 ± 0.28 alleles per locus. Mean observed (Ho), and expected heterozygosity (He) were 0.93 ± 0.03 and 0.52 ± 0.05, respectively.

The exhibits obtained in wildlife offence cases quite often present a challenging situation for the forensic expert. The selection of proper approach for analysis is vital for a successful analysis. A generalised forensic analysis approach should proceed from the use of non-destructive techniques (morphological and microscopic examination) to partially destructive and finally destructive techniques (DNA analysis). The findings of non-destructive techniques may sometime be inconclusive but they definitely help in steering further forensic analysis in a proper direction. We describe a recent case where a very small dried skin piece (<0.05 mg) with just one small trimmed guard hair (0.4 cm) on it was received for species identification. The single guard hair was examined microscopically to get an indication of the type of species. We also describe the extraction procedure with a lower amount of sample, using an automated extraction method (Qiagen Biorobot EZ1) and PCR amplification of three mitochondrial genes (16s rRNA, 12s rRNA and cytochrome b) for species identification. Microscopic examination of the single hair indicated a viverrid species but the initial DNA analysis with 16s rRNA (through NCBI BLAST) showed the highest homology (93%) with a hyaenid species (Hyaena hyaena). However, further DNA analysis based on 12s rRNA and cytochrome b gene proved that the species was indeed a viverrid i.e. Viverricula indica (small Indian civet). The highest homology shown with a Hyaenid species by the 16s rRNA sequence from the case sample was due to lack of a 16s rRNA sequence for Viverricula indica in the NCBI data base. The case highlights the importance of morphological and microscopic examinations in wildlife offence cases. With respect to DNA extraction technology we found that automatic extraction method of Biorobot EZ1 (Qiagen) is quite useful with less amount of sample (much below recommended amount)., (Copyright 2009 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Developmental programming of hypertension, induced by maternal protein restriction, is associated with enhanced urinary excretion of sodium and calcium in the rat. Although calcium and magnesium are reabsorbed via different pathways, renal calcium excretion often parallels magnesium output. Accordingly, the aim of the current study was to assess magnesium handling in rats exposed to a low-protein (LP) diet in utero. Wistar rats were fed a control (18%) or LP (9%) diet throughout pregnancy; offspring were weaned onto standard rat chow and studied at 4 weeks of age. Renal clearance measurements were made in both volume expanded and euvolaemic anaesthetised rats; 24-hour magnesium turnover was also assessed in conscious animals. Plasma and total body magnesium content were measured. Total (U(Mg)V) and fractional excretion (FE(Mg)) of magnesium did not differ between control and LP rats under any of the experimental conditions. Neither plasma nor total body magnesium content differed between control and LP rats. Thus the hypercalciuria of LP rats is not mirrored by an increase in renal magnesium excretion. These data suggest that renal magnesium handling is not affected by developmental programming., (Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Maternal dietary protein restriction during pregnancy results in an increase in offspring blood pressure in the rat. The kidneys of the low protein (LP) rat have fewer nephrons, increased hemodynamic sensitivity to angiotensin II and lower glomerular filtration rate, suggesting altered activity of the renin-angiotensin system. Angiotensin II plays a role in nephrogenesis through the AT(1) and AT(2) receptor subtypes. The aim of this study was to determine expression levels of both subtypes during nephrogenesis. Pregnant Wistar rats were fed either a control 18% protein diet or a low 9% protein (LP) diet. A 35% reduction in nephron number (p < 0.05) associated with a 50% reduction in total glomerular volume (p < 0.001) was seen in LP rats. Renal AT(1) (p < 0.0001) and AT(2) (p < 0.0001) receptor protein expression were significantly lower in LP rats from E18 to day 10. AT(1) expression in LP rat kidneys tended to increase over time while AT(2) expression declined until day 10, when it began to increase again. Angiotensin II-regulated cell proliferation may be perturbed in the LP rat kidney during nephrogenesis which could contribute to the reduction in nephron number and the elevation in blood pressure observed in this model of programmed hypertension., (Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

India is home to seven species of mongoose (Herpestes sp). Mongooses are being poached primarily for their hair, which is used in the production of painting and shaving brushes. Prior to September 2002, mongooses were listed under Schedule-IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (India). Indiscriminate poaching of the mongoose created an immediate threat to their survival and hence mongooses have now been placed under Schedule-II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972 (India). In order to convict a person under this legislation, species identification of case related samples is necessary. Four species of mongoose i.e. H. edwardsii, H. smithii, H. palustris and H. urva were characterised by performing discriminate functional analysis (DFA) on measurements of their dorsal guard hair banding pattern and by microscopic hair characteristics (Cuticular, medullar and cross section). It was possible to distinguish between the four species studied, based on both these methods.

Dorsal guard hairs of 10 bovid species of India, listed under Schedule-I of Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 of India and some of them quite frequently encountered in illegal trade, were studied using light microscopy. We discuss characteristics including colour, hair thickness, cuticular pattern, medulla pattern, medulla index, cross-section and scale count index for species characterisation/identification to deal wildlife offence cases. Although some species could be identified very easily based on one or few microscopic hair characteristics, however there were some overlaps of few hair characteristics among some species. Species like Pantholops hodgsonii could be characterised most easily, just based on cuticular pattern and similarly Capricornis sumatraensis could be characterised simply by medulla pattern. For species showing overlaps in some of the microscopic hair characteristics, a combination of all the characteristics was most useful. We suggest the use of maximum number of parameters for distinguishing sympatric and closely related species. In addition to wild species, hair characteristics of three domestic species have been examined and compared with the selected wild species.

India is known for its rich biodiversity, with a wide variety of wild floral and faunal species. This wildlife treasure of ours faces the threat of extinction due to rampant poaching and illegal trade. With most of the wildlife offence cases related to mammals having hair as physical evidence, it becomes imperative to use this evidence in the best possible way for wildlife crime investigation. We discuss the value of hair evidence with special reference to species characterization/identification using microscopic hair characteristics, keratin patterns, and mitochondrial DNA typing. The relevance of the techniques with respect to Indian scenario is specially taken care of and microscopic hair characteristics of one of the highly endangered species along with its keratin pattern are described. Finally, the use of mitochondrial DNA for species identification is also discussed.

Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) tail covert feathers were studied to investigate the difference between shed and plucked feathers in the context of wildlife offence cases involving the killing of the Indian national bird for the purpose of plucking feathers. Plucked feathers were distinguished from shed feathers by examining their roots under low magnification of a stereoscopic microscope. A chemical test to show the presence of blood on the roots of plucked feathers was used to corroborate the plucked origin of feathers.

Object: The authors evaluated the accuracy of placement and safety of pedicle screws in the treatment of unstable thoracic spine fractures., Methods: Patients with unstable fractures between T-1 and T-10, which had been treated with pedicle screw (PS) placement by one of five spine surgeons at a referral center were included in a prospective cohort study. Postoperative computed tomography scans were obtained using 3-mm axial cuts with sagittal reconstructions. Three independent reviewers (C.B., V.S., and D.G.) assessed PS position using a validated grading scale. Comparison of failure rates among cases grouped by selected baseline variables were performed using Pearson chi-square tests. Independent peri- and postoperative surveillance for local and general complications was performed to assess safety. Twenty-three patients with unstable thoracic fractures treated with 201 thoracic PSs were analyzed. Only PSs located between T-1 and T-12 were studied, with the majority of screws placed between T-5 and T-10. Of the 201 thoracic PSs, 133 (66.2%) were fully contained within the pedicle wall. The remaining 68 screws (33.8%) violated the pedicle wall. Of these, 36 (52.9%) were lateral, 27 (39.7%) were medial, and five (7.4%) were anterior perforations. No superior, inferior, anteromedial, or anterolateral perforations were found. When local anatomy and the clinical safety of screws were considered, 98.5% (198 of 201) of the screws were probably in an acceptable position. No baseline variables influenced the incidence of perforations. There were no adverse neurological, vascular, or visceral injuries detected intraoperatively or postoperatively., Conclusions: In the vast majority of cases, PSs can be placed in an acceptable and safe position by fellowship-trained spine surgeons when treating unstable thoracic spine fractures. However, an unacceptable screw position can occur.

Study Design: We present a descriptive case series outlining the surgical technique and outcome in six patients managed with a combined anterior neck and sternal splitting approach., Objectives: To describe a surgical approach used in the management of severe cervicothoracic kyphosis and/or scoliosis in pediatric patients., Summary of Background Data: There are few reports in the literature that address the problem of accessing multileveled spinal deformities around the cervicothoracic junction requiring stabilization in the pediatric population., Methods: A detailed chart and radiographic review was completed of six consecutive patients managed at our center with a combined anterior neck and sternal splitting approach. The indications, surgical technique, and outcome are reviewed for each case. This technique was employed in 6 pediatric patients, aged 3-15 years, at the authors' institution. Diagnoses included Klippel-Feil Syndrome (2 patients), Proteus Syndrome, Larsen Syndrome, and neurofibromatosis type I (2 patients). All patients had severe cervicothoracic kyphosis requiring surgical instrumentation. This technique allowed surgical access from C5-T6., Results: This approach was invaluable in gaining access to the cervicothoracic junction to address complex spinal deformities in pediatric patients. In one patient, a separate thoracotomy was performed to access the lower thoracic spine. The only significant complication related to the approach was recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy experienced by one patient. This approach allowed stabilization of severe scoliotic and/or kyphotic deformities to impede curve progression., Conclusions: This approach was invaluable in gaining multileveled access to the cervicothoracic junction to address complex spinal deformities in pediatric patients.

In the rat, protein restriction during pregnancy increases offspring blood pressure by 20-30 mmHg. We have shown in an earlier study that this is associated with a reduction in nephron number and increased glomerular sensitivity to angiotensin II (Ang II) in vivo. Hence, we hypothesized that exposure to a maternal low-protein diet increases glomerular Ang II AT1 receptor expression and decreases AT2 receptor expression. To test this hypothesis, pregnant Wistar rats were fed isocalorific diets containing either 18% (control) or 9% (LP) protein from conception until birth. At 4 weeks of age, the kidneys of male offspring were harvested to measure cortical AT1 and AT2 receptor expression, 125I-Ang II glomerular binding, tissue renin activity, tissue Ang II and plasma aldosterone concentrations. AT1 receptor expression was increased (62%) and AT2 expression was decreased (35%) in LP rats. Maximum 125I-Ang II (125I-Ang II) binding (Bmax) was increased in LP rats (control n = 9, 291.6 +/- 27.4 versus LP n = 7, 445.7 +/- 27.4 fmol (mg glomerular protein)(-1), P < 0.01), but affinity (KD) was not statistically different from controls (control 2.87 +/- 0.85 versus LP 0.84 +/- 0.20 pmol 125I-Ang II, P = 0.059). Renal renin activity, tissue Ang II and plasma aldosterone concentrations did not differ between control and LP rats. Increased AT1 receptor expression in LP rat kidneys is consistent with greater haemodynamic sensitivity to Ang II in vivo. This may result in an inappropriate reduction in glomerular filtration rate, salt and water retention, and an increase in blood pressure.

Recent studies have proposed a link between impaired nephrogenesis, decreased activity of the renin-angiotensin system and the onset of hypertension in rats exposed in the uterus to a maternal low-protein diet. However, there is no detailed information about renal function in this model; hence the aim of the present study was to assess renal function in young (4-week-old) rats exposed in the uterus to a maternal low-protein diet. Pregnant Wistar rats were fed isocalorific diets containing either 18% (normal protein; offspring denoted NP rats) or 9% (low protein; offspring denoted LP rats) (w/w) protein from conception until birth. At 4 weeks of age, male offspring were anaesthetized and prepared for the study of renal function, during which animals received saline alone, a bolus of enalapril (5 mg.kg(-1)) or a bolus of enalapril followed by an infusion of angiotensin II (30 ng.min(-1).kg(-1)). Under control conditions, renal haemodynamic and tubular function did not differ. However, when challenged with angiotensin II, LP rats responded with a greater decrease in glomerular filtration rate than did NP rats [NP, 2.0+/-0.2 ml.min(-1).g(-1) kidney weight ( n =9); LP, 1.0+/-0.2 ml.min(-1).g(-1) kidney weight ( n =5); P <0.05]. Renal electrolyte excretion did not differ. LP rats had significantly fewer glomeruli than NP rats ( P <0.01). Renal angiotensin II AT(1) receptor expression was increased ( P <0.01) by 24% in LP rats. It is concluded that blood pressure may be elevated in LP rats in order to maintain glomerular filtration rate against a background of fewer nephrons. Increased AT(1) receptor expression, which may arise as a result of the direct effect of protein restriction or in response to the reported decrease in renal tissue angiotensin II concentration, could also contribute to the elevated blood pressure of this model.