Biochemical investigation of the toxic effects of acrylamide administration during pregnancy on the liver of mother and fetus and the protective role of vitamin E

Acrylamide in food: Occurrence, metabolism, molecular toxicity mechanism and detoxification by phytochemicals

Acrylamide (ACR) is a common pollutant formed during food thermal processing such as frying, baking and roasting. ACR and its metabolites can cause various negative effects on organisms. To date, there have been some reviews summarizing the formation, absorption, detection and prevention of ACR, but there is no systematic summary on the mechanism of ACR-induced toxicity. In the past five years, the molecular mechanism for ACR-induced toxicity has been further explored and the detoxification of ACR by phytochemicals has been partly achieved. This review summarizes the ACR level in foods and its metabolic pathways, as well as highlights the mechanisms underlying ACR-induced toxicity and ACR detoxification by phytochemicals. It appears that oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, biochemical metabolism and gut microbiota disturbance are involved in various ACR-induced toxicities. In addition, the effects and possible action mechanisms of phytochemicals, including polyphenols, quinones, alkaloids, terpenoids, as well as vitamins and their analogs on ACR-induced toxicities are also discussed. This review provides potential therapeutic targets and strategies for addressing various ACR-induced toxicities in the future.

The Protective Impact of Salsola imbricata Leaf Extract From Taif Against Acrylamide-Induced Hepatic Inflammation and Oxidative Damage: The Role of Antioxidants, Cytokines, and Apoptosis-Associated Genes

Salsola imbricata is a herbal plant native to Saudi Arabia, known for its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the protective effects of an ethanolic leaf extract of Salsola imbricata against the oxidative stress and hepatic injury caused by acrylamide. Rats received intragastric administrations of 20 mg/kg of body weight of acrylamide to induce hepatic injury, or 300 mg/kg of body weight of Salsola ethanolic extract orally for 7 days before acrylamide administration. The treatments were continued for 3 weeks. Blood and liver samples were collected from all the groups, and the following biochemical parameters were tested: serum ALT (alanine aminotransferase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase), GGT (gamma glutaryl transferase), urea, albumin, total proteins, catalase, SOD (superoxide dismutase), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO), and MDA (malondialdehyde). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to examine the expression of Nrf2 (Nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2), HO-1 (Hemoxygenase-1), COX-2 (Cyclooxgenase-2), TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor-beta1), Bax, and Bcl2 (B-cell lymphoma 2), which are associated with oxidative stress, fibrosis, apoptosis, and anti-apoptotic effects. The annexin and survivin immunoreactivity were examined at the immunohistochemical level. Pretreatment with the Salsola ethanolic extract reduced the negative impact of acrylamide on ALT, AST, GGT, urea, albumin, and total proteins. The Salsola ethanolic extract reversed acrylamide's effects on serum and tissue antioxidants. Nrf2/HO-1 expression was downregulated, while COX-2 and TGF-β1 were upregulated in the acrylamide-administered group and normalized by the pre-administration of Salsola ethanolic extract to the acrylamide experimental group. The immunoreactivity of annexin and survivin was restored in the experimental group administered Salsola ethanolic extract plus acrylamide. In conclusion, Salsola ethanolic extract inhibits and regulates the side effects induced in the liver by acrylamide. Salsola induced its impacts by regulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis-/anti-apoptosis-associated genes at the biochemical, molecular, and cellular levels. Salsola is recommended as oxidative stress relievers against environmental toixicity at high altitude areas.

The protective effects of the Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide against acrylamide-induced inflammation and oxidative damage in rats

In this study, the protective effects of the Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) on selected tissue (liver, spleen, kidneys and intestine) toxicity induced by acrylamide (AA) in SD rats were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment with PSG-1 could prevent AA-induced damage to liver and kidney functions by increasing the activities of ALT, AST and ALP and the levels of TG, BUN and CR in the serum of AA-treated rats. PSG-1 could also maintain the intestinal barrier function and permeability by preventing the reduction of the serum d-Lac and ET-1 levels in the intestine of AA-treated rats. In addition, AA-induced DNA damage, as indicated by an increase of the 8-OHdG level, was alleviated by pretreatment with PSG-1. Histological observations of the tissues confirmed the protective effects of different doses of PSG-1. Moreover, PSG-1 supplementation reduced oxidative stress and inflammation in rats by upregulating the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and IL-10 levels, and preventing the overproduction of malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Thus, these findings suggest that PSG-1 effectively prevents AA-induced damage in the liver, spleen, kidneys, and intestine of rats, partially by alleviating the inflammatory response and oxidative stress and protecting the intestinal integrity and barrier function.

Evaluation of maternal serum afamin and vitamin E levels in pregnant women with COVID-19 and its association with composite adverse perinatal outcomes

To evaluate the maternal serum afamin and vitamin E levels in pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to investigate their association with composite adverse perinatal outcomes. This prospective, case-control study consisted of 60 pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and 36 age-matched pregnant women without any defined risk factors. Demographic features, laboratory test results, afamin and vitamin E levels were compared between the groups. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the relationship of afamin and vitamin E levels in predicting composite adverse perinatal outcomes. A correlation analysis was performed between afamin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in pregnant women with COVID-19. The obstetric complication rate was higher in the COVID-19 group (13.3% vs. 2.8%) (p = .01). Afamin levels were higher and vitamin E levels were lower in the COVID-19 group (p = .02 and p < .001, respectively). Vitamin E levels were lower in the COVID-19 group for the all trimesters (p < .001, p < .001, and p = .004, respectively). Afamin levels were higher in the COVID-19 group for the all trimesters without reaching statistical significance (p > .05). The values in the ROC curves with the best balance of sensitivity/specificity for afamin and vitamin E were 0.424 mg/l (70.6% sensitivity, 44.3% specificity) and 3.150 µg/ml (76.5% sensitivity, 58.2% specificity), respectively. A positive moderate statistically significant correlation was found between afamin and CRP levels (r = .264, p = .009). Higher afamin and lower vitamin E levels may support the elevated oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of COVID-19 and the relationship with composite adverse perinatal outcomes.

Acrylamide Induced Toxicity and the Propensity of Phytochemicals in Amelioration: A Review

Acrylamide is widely found in baked and fried foods, produced in large amount in industries and is a prime component in toxicity. This review highlights various toxicities that are induced due to acrylamide, its proposed mode of action including oxidative stress cascades and ameliorative mechanisms using phytochemicals. Acrylamide formation, the mechanism of toxicity and the studies on the role of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions are elaborated in this paper. The various types of toxicities caused by Acrylamide and the modulation studies using phytochemicals that are carried out on various type of toxicity like neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, immune system, and skeletal system, as well as embryos have been explored. Lacunae of studies include the need to explore methods for reducing the formation of acrylamide in food while cooking and also better modulators for alleviating the toxicity and associated dysfunctions along with identifying its molecular mechanisms.

The effects of acrylamide and vitamin E on kidneys in pregnancy: an experimental study

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate possible damages to kidney tissues of pregnant rats and their fetuses exposed to acrylamide during pregnancy and possible protective effects of vitamin E against these damages. Material and methods: Rats were randomly assigned to five groups of control, corn oil, vitamin E, acrylamide, vitamin E + acrylamide, six pregnant rats in each. Mother and fetal kidney tissues were examined for malondialdehyde (MDA), reductase glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), urea, creatine, trace elements such as Zn and Cu in the serum and histopathological analyses were conducted. Results: It was determined that acrylamide, administered during pregnancy, statistically significantly increased MDA and TOS levels, maternal serum urea, creatinine, and Zn levels, while it decreased GSH, TAS, SOD, and CAT levels (p ≤ .05) when compared with all other groups in the kidney tissues of pregnant rats and their fetuses and caused tubular degeneration, hemorrhage, narrowing, and closure in Bowman's space, and, in the E vitamin group, it statistically significantly increased GSH, TAS, SOD, CAT, urea, creatinine, and Zn levels when compared with other groups and lowered TOS and MDA levels to those of the control group (p < .05) and there were no differences between the groups histologically. Conclusion: It was observed that acrylamide administered during pregnancy caused oxidative stress in kidney tissues of mother rats and their fetuses, resulting in tissue damage, and vitamin E application, which is considered to be a powerful antioxidant, inhibited oxidative stress.

Histological and Ultrastructure Study of the Testes of Acrylamide Exposed Adult Male Albino Rat and Evaluation of the Possible Protective Effect of Vitamin E Intake

Acrylamide (AA) is a hazardous unavoidable gonadal toxin. Hence, the aim of this study is to clarify its harmful effects on the testis of adult albino rat by light and electron microscope and to evaluate the possible role of Vitamin E (Vit E) in the prevention of such effects. Thirty-five adult male albino rats were enrolled in this study. They were divided into three groups: Group I (control); Group II (AA exposed), and Group III (AA and concomitant Vit E treated group). Animals of Groups II and III were further subdivided into two equal subgroups (each subgroup included five rats): (a) rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks and (b) rats were sacrificed after 6 weeks. The testes of each rat were dissected out, processed, and examined by Hematoxylin and Eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff and Mallory's trichrome stains as well as electron microscopic study. The study revealed that AA induces testicular damage at the histological and ultrastructural level in the form of degeneration and arrested spermatogenesis. Moreover, decreased seminiferous tubules diameters and epithelial height were detected. These changes are maximally improved in Vit E treated group. Hence, we could conclude that AA causes degenerative changes of the testes of albino rats and arrest of spermatogenesis. The AA-induced histological and ultrastructural changes of the testes could be explained by oxidative stress. These effects changes are proportional to the duration of exposure. Moreover, it could be concluded that Vitamin E has a protective role against AA-induced testicular damage by its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.