Impact of iron and folic acid supplementation on oxidative stress during pregnancy

Markers of Oxidative Stress in Obstetrics and Gynaecology-A Systematic Literature Review

Oxidative stress has been implicated in many diseases, including reproductive and pregnancy disorders, from subfertility to maternal vascular disease or preterm labour. There is, however, discrepancy within the standardized markers of oxidative stress in obstetrics and gynaecology in clinical studies. This review aims to present the scope of markers used between 2012 and 2022 to describe oxidative stress with regard to reproduction, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related issues. Despite the abundance of evidence, there is no consensus on the set of standardised markers of oxidative stress which poses a challenge to achieve universal consensus in order to appropriately triangulate the results.

Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy alters behavior in male rat offspring: nitrative stress and neuroinflammatory implications

Pregnancy diet can impact offspring's neurodevelopment, metabolism, redox homeostasis, and inflammatory status. In pregnancy, folate demand is increased due to the requirement for one-carbon transfer reactions. The present study was proposed to investigate the effect of folic acid supplementation throughout pregnancy on a battery of behavior tests (olfactory preference, motor activity, exploratory capacity, habituation, memory, anxiety- and depression-like behavior). Redox homeostasis and neuroinflammatory status in cerebral cortex were also investigated. After pregnancy confirmation, the pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups, according to the diet: group 1, (control) standard diet (2 mg/kg diet of folic acid) and group 2, supplemented diet with 4 mg/kg diet of folic acid. Throughout the gestational period, the pregnant rats received experimental diets. Results show that the supplemented diet with 4 mg/kg diet of folic acid throughout pregnancy impaired memory and motricity of the offspring when compared with control (standard diet). It was also observed an increase in anxiety- and depression-like behavior in this group. Nitrite levels increased in cerebral cortex of the offspring, when compared to control group. In contrast, iNOS expression and immunocontent were not altered. Moreover, we identify an increase in TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and MCP-1 gene expression in the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, our study showed that the supplemented diet with 4 mg/kg diet of folic acid throughout pregnancy may cause behavioral and biochemical changes in the male offspringGraphical abstract After pregnancy confirmation, the pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups, according to the diet: group 1, (control) standard diet (2 mg/kg diet of folic acid) and group 2, supplemented diet with 4 mg/kg diet of folic acid. Throughout the gestational period, the pregnant rats received experimental diets. Results show that folic acid supplementation did not impair the mother-pup relationship. We showed that supplemented diet with 4 mg/kg diet of folic acid during pregnancy impairs memory and motricity of the offspring when compared with standard diet. It was also observed an increase in anxiety- and depression-like behavior in this group. Nitrative stress and neuroinflammation parameters were increased in the cerebral cortex of the offspring. ROS, reactive oxygen species.

Oxidative Stress at Birth Is Associated with the Concentration of Iron and Copper in Maternal Serum

Oxidative stress (OS) in the foetal and neonatal periods leads to many disorders in newborns and in later life. The nutritional status of pregnant women is considered to be one of the key factors that triggers OS. We investigated the relationship between the concentration of selected mineral elements in the blood of pregnant women and the concentration of 3′nitrotyrosine (3′NT) as a marker of OS in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The study group consisted of 57 pregnant women and their newborn children. The concentrations of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in maternal serum (MS) were measured by the flame atomic absorption/emission spectrometry (FAAS/FAES) method. The concentration of 3′NT in umbilical cord serum (UCS) of newborns was determined by the ELISA method. A positive correlation between MS Fe and UCS 3′NT in male newborns was shown (rho = 0.392, p = 0.053). Significantly higher UCS 3′NT was demonstrated in newborns, especially males, whose mothers were characterized by MS Fe higher than 400 μg/dL compared to those of mothers with MS Fe up to 300 μg/dL (p < 0.01). Moreover, a negative correlation between the MS Cu and UCS 3′NT in male newborns was observed (rho = −0.509, p = 0.008). Results of the study showed the need to develop strategies to optimize the nutritional status of pregnant women. Implementation of these strategies could contribute to reducing the risk of pre- and neonatal OS and its adverse health effects in the offspring.

Computational Analysis of Clinical and Molecular Markers and New Theranostic Possibilities in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a paramount cause of irreversible visual disability worldwide. We focus on identifying clinical and molecular facts that may help elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease. By using ophthalmological approaches (biomicroscopy, ocular fundus, optical coherence tomography, and perimetry) and experimental tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Western blot/immunoblotting) directed to evaluate the oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and neurodegeneration processes, we gather information to build a network of data to perform a computational bioinformatics analysis. Our results showed strong interaction of the above players and its downstream effectors in POAG pathogenesis. In conclusion, specific risk factors were identified, and molecules involved in multiple pathways were found in relation to anterior and posterior eye segment glaucoma changes, pointing to new theranostic challenges for better managing POAG progression.

Supplementation with 5-formyltetrahydrofolate alleviates ultraviolet B-inflicted oxidative damage in folate-deficient zebrafish

Ultraviolet (UV) is an omnipresent environmental carcinogen transmitted by sunlight. Excessive UV irradiation has been correlated to an increased risk of skin cancers. UVB, the most mutagenic component among the three UV constituents, causes damage mainly through inducing DNA damage and oxidative stress. Therefore, strategies or nutrients that strengthen an individual's resistance to UV-inflicted harmful effects shall be beneficial. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for nucleotides biosynthesis, and also a strong biological antioxidant, hence a micronutrient with potential of modulating individual's vulnerability to UV exposure. In this study, we investigated the impact of folate status on UV sensitivity and the protective activity of folate supplementation using a zebrafish model. Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and morphological injury were observed in the larvae exposed to UVB, which were readily rescued by supplementing with folic acid, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-CHO-THF) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). The UVB-inflicted abnormalities and mortality were worsened in Tg(hsp:EGFP-γGH) larvae displaying folate deficiency. Intriguingly, only supplementation with 5-CHO-THF, as opposed to folic acid, offered significant and consistent protection against UVB-inflicted oxidative damage in the folate-deficient larvae. We concluded that the intrinsic folate status correlates with the vulnerability to UVB-induced damage in zebrafish larvae. In addition, 5-CHO-THF surpassed both folic acid and NAC in preventing UVB-inflicted oxidative stress and injury in our current experimental zebrafish model.