Beneficial effects of vitamin C treatment on pregnant rats exposed to formaldehyde: Reversal of immunosuppression in the offspring

Author(s)

Ibrahim, Beatriz Silva ^[1] ; Barioni, Eric Diego ^[1] ; Heluany, Cintia ^[1] ; Braga, Tarcio Teodoro ^[2] ; Drewes, Carine Cristiane ^[1] ; Costa, Silvia Goes ^[3] ; Saraiva Camara, Niels Olsen ^[2] ; Poliselli Farsky, Sandra Helena ^[1] ; Lino-dos-Santos-Franco, Adriana ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Clin & Toxicol Anal, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Immunol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Nove Julho UNINOVE, Post Grad Program Biophoton Appl Hlth Sci, Rua Vergueiro 239-245, BR-01504000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology; v. 300, p. 77-81, JUN 1 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Inhalation of formaldehyde (FA) during the pregnancy induces oxidative stress in the uterus, and here we hypothesized that this mechanism may be responsible for the impaired immune response detected in the offspring. In order to investigate the protective effects of Vitamin Con the oxidative stress induced by FA in the uterine microenvironment, pregnant Wistar rats were treated with vitamin C (150 mg/kg, gavage) or vehicle (distilled water, gavage) I h before FA exposure (0.92 mg/m(3), 1 h/day, 5 days/week), for 21 days, and the 30 days old offspring were submitted to LPS injection (Salmonella abortus equi, 5 mg/kg, i.p.). The enhanced gene expression of iNOS, COX-1 and COX-2 and decreased gene expression of SOD-2 in the uterus of FA exposed mothers was rescued by Vit C treatment. Moreover, vitamin C rescued the impaired immune response elicited by LPS in the offspring from FA exposed mothers, by increasing the number of blood and bone marrow leukocytes, and augmenting gene expression of IL-6 and reducing mRNA levels of IL-10 and IFN in the lungs. Vitamin C treatment did not rescue the impaired TLR4-NF-kB pathway in the lung of the offspring, suggesting that FA-induced uterine oxidative stress affects other inflammatory pathways activated by LPS in the offspring. Together, data obtained here confirm our hypothesis that FA-induced oxidative stress in the uterine microenvironment modifies the programming mechanisms of the immune defenses of offspring, leading to an impaired host defense. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/19708-3 - Evaluation of the impact of intrauterine exposure to formaldehyde in the development of pulmonary infection in the offspring
• Grantee: Beatriz Silva Ibrahim
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 11/51711-9 - Exposure to ambient and occupational pollution in uterus and its repercussion on development of allergic lung inflammation in offspring: correlation with epigenetic mechanisms
• Grantee: Adriana Lino dos Santos Franco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants