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Menichini D, Feliciello L, Neri I, Facchinetti F. L-Arginine supplementation in pregnancy: a systematic review of maternal and fetal outcomes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2023; 36:2217465. [PMID: 37258415 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2217465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM OF THE STUDY L-Arginine (L-Arg)/Nitric Oxide (NO) system is involved in the pathophysiology of relevant Obstetric conditions. This review aims at summarizing the effects of L-Arg supplementation in pregnancy looking at safety and efficacy. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of the literature utilizing PubMed for studies published from inception to September 2022. The search included human and animal studies where L-Arg was supplemented pre-conceptionally or during pregnancy, by either oral or intravenous route. The main perinatal outcomes were focused. RESULTS Among 1028 publications, 51 studies were eligible for inclusion, 25 were performed in women, and the remnant in animals. Compared to controls/placebo, the supplementation with L-Arg reduced the development of pre-eclampsia (four studies), decreased blood pressure, and reduced the need for antihypertensive drugs in women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP, eight studies). In women carrying growth retarded fetuses, L-Arg improved fetoplacental circulation, birth weight and neonatal outcomes (five studies), while in the case of threatened preterm birth, L-Arg reduced uterine contractions (two studies). In several animal species, L-Arg supplementation in pregnancy improved reproductive performance by increasing the litter number and size. Moreover, in pre-eclamptic and metabolic syndrome experimental models, maternal hypertension and fetal growth were improved. CONCLUSION L-Arg displays biological activities in pregnancies complicated by HDP and growth restriction, both in women and animal models. L-Arg administration is safe and could be a candidate as an intervention beneficial to maternal and fetal outcomes, at least in moderate clinical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Menichini
- Obstetrics Unit, Mother-Infant Department, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, International Doctorate School in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Lia Feliciello
- Obstetrics Unit, Mother-Infant Department, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Isabella Neri
- Obstetrics Unit, Mother-Infant Department, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Fabio Facchinetti
- Obstetrics Unit, Mother-Infant Department, University Hospital Policlinico of Modena, Modena, Italy
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2
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Cottrell EC. Should the non-canonical pathway of nitric oxide generation be targeted in hypertensive pregnancies? Br J Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 37921362 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypertension in pregnancy is prevalent, affecting around 10% of pregnancies worldwide, and significantly increases the risk of adverse outcomes for both mothers and their babies. Current treatment strategies for pregnant women with hypertension are limited, and new approaches for the management of hypertension in pregnancy are urgently needed. Substantial evidence from non-pregnant subjects has demonstrated the potential for dietary nitrate supplementation to increase nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and lower blood pressure, following bioactivation via the non-canonical NO pathway. Emerging data suggest this approach may also be of benefit in pregnant women, although studies are limited. This review aims to summarise the current evidence from preclinical and clinical studies of nitrate supplementation in pregnancy, drawing on data from non-pregnant populations where appropriate and highlighting key gaps in knowledge that remain to be addressed in future trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth C Cottrell
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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3
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Xu P, Guo J, Jin Y, Lee SC, Li Z, Kong L, Liu M, Niu X, Liu Y, Bai G, Ren L, Ren B, Fan L, Zhao M, Wang L. Toxic effects of maternal cadmium exposure on the metabolism and transport system of amino acids in the maternal livers. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 254:114726. [PMID: 36898312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is one of the most common obstetric diseases, and affects approximately 10 % of all pregnancies worldwide. Maternal cadmium (Cd) exposure is one of the factors that may increase the risk of the development of FGR. However, its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, using Cd-treated mice as an experimental model, we analyzed the levels of some nutrients in the circulation and the fetal livers by biochemical assays; the expression patterns of several key genes involved in the nutrient uptake and transport, and the metabolic changes in the maternal livers were also examined by quantitative real-time PCR and gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry method. Our results showed that, the Cd treatment specifically reduced the levels of total amino acids in the peripheral circulation and the fetal livers. Concomitantly, Cd upregulated the expressions of three amino acid transport genes (SNAT4, SNAT7 and ASCT1) in the maternal livers. The metabolic profiling of maternal livers also revealed that, several amino acids and their derivatives were also increased in response to the Cd treatment. Further bioinformatics analysis indicated that the experimental treatment activated the metabolic pathways, including the alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism. These findings suggest that maternal Cd exposure activate the amino acid metabolism and increase the amino acid uptake in the maternal liver, which reduces the supply of amino acids to the fetus via the circulation. We suspect that this underlies the Cd-evoked FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Xu
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; Lvliang Comprehensive Test Center, Lvliang 033000, China.
| | - Jing Guo
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Yaling Jin
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Shao Chin Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Zhilang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lingyu Kong
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Ming Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaomin Niu
- Department of Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Oncology, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai 201300, China
| | - Guoqiang Bai
- Lvliang Comprehensive Test Center, Lvliang 033000, China
| | - Lu Ren
- The Eleventh Clinical College of Shanxi Medical University, Lvliang People's Hospital, Lvliang 033000, China
| | - Bei Ren
- Institute of Drug Testing Technology, Shanxi Provincial Inspection and Testing Center, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Linxiao Fan
- Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan 030012, China
| | - Meirong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Lan Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
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Lim S, McDougall ARA, Goldstein M, Tuttle A, Hastie R, Tong S, Ammerdorffer A, Rushwan S, Ricci C, Gülmezoglu AM, Vogel JP. Analysis of a maternal health medicines pipeline database 2000-2021: New candidates for the prevention and treatment of fetal growth restriction. BJOG 2023; 130:653-663. [PMID: 36655375 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Accelerating Innovation for Mothers project established a new database of candidate medicines under development between 2000 and 2021 for five pregnancy-related conditions, including fetal growth restriction. The objective was to assess medicines for fetal growth restriction and their potential for clinical use globally. DESIGN Landscape analysis. SETTING Global (focus on low- and middle-income countries, LMICs). SAMPLE Drugs, dietary supplements and biologics under investigation for prevention or treatment of fetal growth restriction. METHODS A research pipeline database of medicines was created through searching AdisInsight, PubMed and various grant and clinical trial databases. Analysis of clinical and preclinical candidates were descriptive. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES Fetal growth restriction candidates in clinical development were identified and ranked as high, medium or low potential based on prespecified criteria, including efficacy, safety and accessibility. RESULTS Of the 444 unique candidates in the database across all five pregnancy-related conditions, 63 were for fetal growth restriction. Of these, 31 were in clinical development (phases I, II or III) and 32 were in preclinical development. Three candidates, aspirin, l-arginine and vitamin D, were ranked as having high potential as preventive agents. There were no high-potential candidates for treating fetal growth restriction, although five candidates were ranked as having medium potential: allylestrenol, dalteparin, omega-3 fatty acids, tadalafil, and United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP). CONCLUSIONS l-Arginine, aspirin and vitamin D are promising, high-potential preventative agents for fetal growth restriction. Based on the medicines pipeline, new pharmacological agents for fetal growth restriction are unlikely to emerge in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao Lim
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Annie R A McDougall
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maya Goldstein
- Policy Cures Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Tuttle
- Policy Cures Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Roxanne Hastie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen Tong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Joshua P Vogel
- Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Morton JS, Patton B, Morse CJ, El Karsh Z, Rodrigues LA, Mousseau DD, Ferguson DP, Columbus DA, Weber LP, Olver TD. Altered cerebrovascular regulation in low birthweight swine. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 267:111163. [PMID: 35151870 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Full-term low birthweight (LBW) offspring exhibit peripheral vascular dysfunction in the postnatal period; however, whether such impairments extend to the cerebrovasculature remains to be elucidated. We used a swine model to test the hypothesis that LBW offspring would exhibit cerebrovascular dysfunction at later stages of life. Offspring from 14 sows were identified as normal birthweight (NBW) or LBW and were assessed at 28 (similar to end of infancy) and 56 (similar to childhood) days of age. LBW swine had lower absolute brain mass, but demonstrated evidence of brain sparing (increased brain mass scaled to body mass) at 56 days of age. The cerebral pulsatility index, based on transcranial Doppler, was increased in LBW swine. Moreover, arterial myography of isolated cerebral arteries revealed impaired vasoreactivity to bradykinin and reduced contribution of nitric oxide (NO) to vasorelaxation in the LBW swine. Immunoblotting demonstrated a lower ratio of phosphorylated-to-total endothelial NO synthase in LBW offspring. This impairment in NO signaling was greater at 28 vs. 56 days of age. Vasomotor responses to sodium nitroprusside (NO-donor) were unaltered, while Leu31, Pro34 neuropeptide Y-induced vasoconstriction was enhanced in LBW swine. Increases in total Y1 receptor protein content in the LBW group were not significant. In summary, LBW offspring displayed signs of cerebrovascular dysfunction at 28 and 56 days of age, evidenced by altered cerebral hemodynamics (reflective of increased impedance) coupled with endothelial dysfunction and altered vasomotor control. Overall, the data reveal that normal variance in birthweight of full-term offspring can influence cerebrovascular function later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jude S Morton
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Breanna Patton
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Cameron J Morse
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Zeyad El Karsh
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Lucas A Rodrigues
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Prairie Swine Center, Inc., Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Darrell D Mousseau
- Cell Signalling Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - David P Ferguson
- Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Daniel A Columbus
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Prairie Swine Center, Inc., Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Lynn P Weber
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - T Dylan Olver
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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Associations of Arginine with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Follow-Up Study. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21217811. [PMID: 33105558 PMCID: PMC7659483 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the reported study we applied the targeted metabolomic profiling employing high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) to understand the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), early identification of women who are at risk of developing GDM, and the differences in recovery postpartum between these women and normoglycemic women. We profiled the peripheral blood from patients during the second trimester of pregnancy and three months, and one year postpartum. In the GDM group Arg, Gln, His, Met, Phe and Ser were downregulated with statistical significance in comparison to normoglycemic (NGT) women. From the analysis of the association of all amino acid profiles of GDM and NGT women, several statistical models predicting diabetic status were formulated and compared with the literature, with the arginine-based model as the most promising of the screened ones (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.749). Our research results have shed light on the critical role of arginine in the development of GDM and may help in precisely distinguishing between GDM and NGT and earlier detection of GDM but also in predicting women with the increased type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk.
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