biostudies-literatureTanner ARNICHD NIH HHSNIDDK NIH HHSNIH HHS1904https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11900341biostudies-literatureUnknown26(5)Postnatally, glucagon acutely lowers plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations by stimulating hepatic AA catabolism, but its fetal actions remain unclear. This study tested whether a 2 h fetal glucagon infusion would stimulate hepatic AA catabolism and inhibit placental AA transfer. Late-gestation pregnant sheep (0.9 gestation) underwent surgical, vascular catheterization and received fetal glucagon (<i>n</i> = 8) or vehicle infusions (<i>n</i> = 8) in a crossover design with a 48 h washout period. Nutrient uptake and utilization were assessed during each infusion, and fetal liver and placental tissue were collected post-infusion under hyperglucagonemic (<i>n</i> = 4) or vehicle (<i>n</i> = 4) conditions. Glucagon receptor was identified in fetal hepatocyte and trophoblast cells. Glucagon reduInternational journal of molecular sciencesA Two-Hour Fetal Glucagon Infusion Stimulates Hepatic Catabolism of Amino Acids in Fetal Sheep.PMC11900341P30 DK116073R01HD093701T32 HD007186S10OD023553R01 HD111557T32HD007186P30 DK048520P30-DK116073S10 OD023553R01 HD093701R01HD111557R01 DK088139F32 HD116431Wesolowski SRCilvik SNNguyen MADobrinskikh EAnthony RVRozance PJTanner ARfalseA Two-Hour Fetal Glucagon Infusion Stimulates Hepatic Catabolism of Amino Acids in Fetal Sheep.Postnatally, glucagon acutely lowers plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations by stimulating hepatic AA catabolism, but its fetal actions remain unclear. This study tested whether a 2 h fetal glucagon infusion would stimulate hepatic AA catabolism and inhibit placental AA transfer. Late-gestation pregnant sheep (0.9 gestation) underwent surgical, vascular catheterization and received fetal glucagon (<i>n</i> = 8) or vehicle infusions (<i>n</i> = 8) in a crossover design with a 48 h washout period. Nutrient uptake and utilization were assessed during each infusion, and fetal liver and placental tissue were collected post-infusion under hyperglucagonemic (<i>n</i> = 4) or vehicle (<i>n</i> = 4) conditions. Glucagon receptor was identified in fetal hepatocyte and trophoblast cells. Glucagon redu2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Feb2025-04-03T23:56:51.584Z2025-04-03T23:56:51.584ZS-EPMC119003414007653110.3390/ijms26051904