Oxidative Stress Levels Throughout Pregnancy, at Birth, and in the Neonate

Does dietary total antioxidant capacity relate to oxidative stress levels in water immersion during labor? A case-control study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water immersion during the first stage of labor on maternal and neonatal oxidative stress and the association between serum and dietary total antioxidant capacity.

METHODS

Women were divided into two groups: those immersed in water during the first stage of labor (n=30) and those who had conventional birth (n=33). Total oxidative stress and total antioxidant status levels were examined in antepartum and postpartum maternal serum and neonatal cord blood samples. Dietary total antioxidant capacity was determined by the food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

Vitamin C and dietary total antioxidant capacity consumption were found to be higher in the water immersion group (106.92 mg/day and 18.94 mmol/gün, respectively) than the conventional birth group (92.69 mg/day and 15.99 mmol/gün, respectively) (p<0.05). Women immersed in water during the first stage of labor had lower total oxidative stress levels in antepartum and postpartum maternal serum and neonatal cord blood samples than those who had conventional birth (5.43±2.42 mmol/L and 5.59±3.35 mmol/L vs. 8.58±5.53 mmol/L and 12.68±16.58 mmol/L; p<0.05). Dietary total antioxidant capacity was found to be negatively correlated with total oxidative stress levels in antepartum and postpartum maternal serum and neonatal cord blood samples (p=0.012, p=0.047, p=0.035, and p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Women immersed in water during the first stage of labor had lower total oxidative stress levels in their postnatal maternal serum and neonatal cord blood samples and dietary total antioxidant capacity was also a factor associated with low total oxidative stress levels.

Effect of ambient lead on progesterone and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1 and their relationship with abortion in Zaraibi goats: a field study

This study aimed to investigate the impact of ambient lead (Pb) exposure on progesterone (P4) and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1 (PAG1) and their relationship with abortion in Egyptian Zaraibi goats (C. hircus). To achieve this, 40 female goats (does) were mated with highly fertile male goats, resulting in a total of 28 pregnant goats. Eight of them aborted, and each of the 12 pregnant goats gave birth to one kid, whereas the remaining eight gave birth to twins. The levels of PAG1, P4, and Pb in serum were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) respectively. Statistically, the repeated measure two-way ANOVA, regression analysis, correlation coefficient, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied. The current data demonstrated that the levels of blood Pb in aborted goats were significantly higher than those in non-aborted goats at the early, mid, and late gestations, and this was followed by significant decreases in serum PAG1 and P4. Furthermore, there were substantial inverse associations between blood Pb concentration and levels of PAG1 and P4, with markedly negative correlation coefficients of - 0.88 and - 0.77, respectively, in aborted goats. The threshold level of Pb required to cause abortion was ≥ 32.08 μg/dl, but for PAG1 and P4 were respectively ≤ 0.95 ng/ml and ≤ 0.48 ng/ml. Additionally, threshold levels of ≥ 12.34 ng/ml and ≥ 31.52 ng/ml for P4 and PAG1, respectively, were needed to deliver twins. In conclusion, pollution-induced increases in Pb bioavailability resulted in dramatic decreases in P4 and PAG1 levels, leading to abortions. PAG1 and P4 levels are also key factors in determining whether Zaraibi goats will give birth to twins.

Longitudinal changes of oxidative stress and PON1 lactonase activity and status in older pregnant women undergoing assisted reproductive technology: a prospective nested case-control study

BACKGROUND

Childbearing in women with advanced maternal age (AMA) has increased the need for artificial reproductive technology (ART). ART and oxidative stress are associated with many pregnancy complications. Paraoxonase (PON) 1 is one of the key components responsible for antioxidative activity in high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal changes of oxidative stress and PON1 lactonase activity and status in older women undergoing ART.

METHODS

This prospective nested case-control study included 129 control and 64 ART women. Blood samples were obtained respectively at different stages of pregnancy. PON1 level and lactonase activity were assessed using 7-O-diethylphosphoryl-3-cyano-4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin (DEPCyMC) and 5-thiobutyl butyrolactone (TBBL) as a substrate, respectively. A normalized lactonase activity (NLA) was estimated based on the ratio of TBBLase to DEPCyMCase activity. Serum total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), homocysteine (HCY), PON1 C-108T and Q192R genetic polymorphisms, and metabolic parameters were analyzed.

RESULTS

Lactonase activity and level of PON1 gradually decreased with pregnancy progression, while glycolipid metabolism parameters and TAC levels increased with pregnancy progression or significantly raised during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, and NLA of PON1, TOS, OSI, MDA, and HCY significantly increased before delivery in the ART and control groups. Compared with the control women, the ART women had substantially higher or relatively high lactonase activity and NLA of PON1 and TAC during pregnancy; higher triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, atherogenic index, apolipoprotein (apo) B, and apoB/apoA1 ratio in the 1st trimester; and higher fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and TG levels before delivery. No significant differences were found in the frequencies of PON1 C-108T and Q192R genotypes and alleles between the ART and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with AMA undergoing ART had higher TAC, PON1 lactonase activity, and PON1 NLA than control women, suggesting increased compensatory antioxidant capacity in ART women, thus showing higher sensitivity to oxidative stress-related injury and diseases.

Examining associations between prenatal biomarkers of oxidative stress and ASD-related outcomes using quantile regression

We examined associations between prenatal oxidative stress (OS) and child autism-related outcomes. Women with an autistic child were followed through a subsequent pregnancy and that younger sibling's childhood. Associations between glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), 8-oxo-deoxyguanine (8-OHdG), and nitrotyrosine and younger sibling Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores were examined using quantile regression. Increasing GSH:GSSG (suggesting decreasing OS) was associated with minor increases in SRS scores (50th percentile β: 1.78, 95% CI: 0.67, 3.06); no other associations were observed. Results from this cohort with increased risk for autism do not support a strong relationship between OS in late pregnancy and autism-related outcomes. Results may be specific to those with enriched autism risk; future work should consider other timepoints and biomarkers.

Can amniotic fluid protect developing fetal lungs against the harmful effects of oxidative stress?

BACKGROUND

Preterm births cause fetuses to be born without completing the development of their organs. Due to this undesirable situation, it is the pulmonary tissue which has to be most exposed to harmful effects of extrauterine environment. Early disappearance of the prophylactic and constructive effects of amniotic fluid (AF) on developing tissues, such as pulmonary tissue, facilitates the formation of pulmonary morbidities resulting from oxygen. Setting out from this knowledge, we wanted, in addition to assessing the beneficent effects of AF on pulmonary tissue, to study the importance of AF in morbidities of this tissue thought to originate from oxygen.

METHODS

In this experimental study, while the study group was made up of the fetuses of pregnant rats exposed to hyperbaric oxygen, (hyperoxic pregnant rat fetuses-HPRF), the control group was formed of the fetuses of the rats pregnant in the usual room setting (normoxic pregnant rat fetuses-NPRF). The pulmonary and hepatic tissues taken from the fetuses of these pregnant rats on the 21st day of their pregnancy were compared biochemically and histologically. For biochemical assessment, total glutathione (tGSH), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) values and for histopathological assessment, apoptosis, alveolar wall count (AWC), vena centralis count (VCC) were included.

RESULTS

Statistical significance was found in the pulmonary tissue values of tGSH on behalf of NPRF, and MDA on behalf of HPRF (p < 0.05). In liver tissue, statistical significance was detected in tGSH and CAT values in favor of NPRF and in MDA, and TNF-α values in favor of HPRF (p < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

: Our study has demonstrated that AF protects the pulmonary tissue from the harmful effects of oxygen in the intrauterine period. In addition, our data have suggested that the pulmonary tissue's being deprived of the useful effects of AF owing to premature birth may be an important trigger in the occurrence of the pulmonary morbidities thought to result from oxygen.

Cytokine levels throughout the perinatal period

BACKGROUND

Dysregulation of inflammatory processes is linked to perinatal complications yet a comprehensive description of cytokine levels throughout the perinatal period is lacking. We report prospective, serial levels of 29 unique cytokines measured in maternal blood during pregnancy, in the cord blood at birth, and in the neonatal blood.

METHODS

Pregnant women (n = 140) for recruited from a Midwest tertiary medical center. Blood was obtained at five timepoints: 12-20 weeks, 24-28 weeks, and at labor in the women, umbilical cord at birth, 24-72 h in the newborn. Cytokine levels were analyzed using an electrochemiluminescence-based immunoassay.

RESULTS

Levels for 29 cytokines were measured. The data were separated into two groups: pregnancies with (n = 82) and without major complications (n = 53) (preterm birth, preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus). Eighteen cytokines showed significant changes over time (p < .002). The majority of the cytokines were highest in the newborn. No differences in cytokine levels between complication groups were noted at any timepoint.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first known study to report prospective, serial cytokine levels throughout the perinatal period for pregnancies with/without complications. No differences in maternal cytokine levels between those with/without complications were detected; studies with a larger sample size would be needed to validate our current findings. Results also suggest cytokine dysregulation may be more localized to the placenta making it difficult to measure and predict during pregnancy using maternal systemic blood specimens.

Impact of prenatal and early life environmental exposures on normal human development

The global burden and pattern of disease has changed in recent decades, with fewer early childhood deaths and longer lives complicated by chronic disease. Disruption of normal human growth and development by adverse environmental exposures, especially during foetal development and early postnatal life increase life-long risk of chronic disease. The developmental timing and method of adverse exposure determines the likely impact on health and development. While many organ systems are structurally and functionally mature at birth, the CNS, respiratory and immune systems are not and undergo prolonged periods of postnatal growth and development. As such, these organ systems are vulnerable to adverse effects of both prenatal and postnatal environmental exposures. While the precise mechanisms underlying chronic disease are unknown, epigenetic mechanisms and the induction of oxidative stress are likely to be involved. An understanding of these processes is necessary to develop mitigation strategies aimed at reducing chronic disease prevalence.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of Human Milk from Mothers of Preterm Infants

The application of metabolomics in neonatology offers an approach to investigate the complex relationship between nutrition and infant health. Characterization of the metabolome of human milk enables an investigation into nutrients that affect the neonatal metabolism and identification of dietary interventions for infants at risk of diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). In this study, we aimed to identify differences in the metabolome of breast milk of 48 mothers with preterm infants with NEC and non-NEC healthy controls. A minimum significant difference was observed in the human milk metabolome between the mothers of infants with NEC and mothers of healthy control infants. However, significant differences in the metabolome related to fatty acid metabolism, oligosaccharides, amino sugars, amino acids, vitamins and oxidative stress-related metabolites were observed when comparing milk from mothers with control infants of ≤1.0 kg birth weight and >1.5 kg birth weight. Understanding the functional biological features of mothers’ milk that may modulate infant health is important in the future of tailored nutrition and care of the preterm newborn.

Investigating the relationship between job stress, workload and oxidative stress in nurses

Objectives. Occupational stress and workload are common risk factors among nurses that increase absenteeism, reduce the quality and quantity of patient care, increase care costs and increase the patient safety risk. The relation between these risk factors and oxidative stress levels has not been clearly defined. Methods. This study was conducted with 258 participants (126 nurses as the case group and 132 healthy adults as the control group). Information was collected using a demographic questionnaire, the nurses' occupational stress scale and the NASA task load index workload questionnaire. Blood samples were taken from the participants and then the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured in the serum samples. Independent t tests and one-way analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. Results. SOD and TAC were significantly higher and MDA was significantly lower among the case group compared to the control group. TAC levels significantly decreased with increased stress. MDA levels showed negative associations with stress and workload. Nurses experience high levels of occupational stress and workload. Conclusion. Biomarkers such as SOD, TAC and MDA are the most important predictors of work stress and overwork in this study.

Association of Oxidative Stress on Pregnancy

The pathophysiological mechanism underlying pregnancy complications such as congenital malformations, miscarriage, preeclampsia, or fetal growth restriction is not entirely known. However, the negative impact of the mother's body oxidative imbalance on the fetus and the course of gestation is increasingly discussed. This article is an integrative review of some original studies and review papers on the effects of oxidative stress on the adverse pregnancy outcomes mainly birth defects in fetuses. A systematic search for English language articles published from 2010 until 2020 was made, using MEDLINE data. Additionally, we analyzed the Cochrane and Scopus databases, discussions with experts, and a review of bibliography of articles from scientifically relevant and valuable sources. The main purposes are to assess the contribution of the existing literature of associations of oxidative stress on the etiology of the abovementioned conditions and to identify relevant information and outline existing knowledge. Furthermore, the authors aim to find any gaps in the research, thereby providing grounds for our own research. The key search terms were "oxidative stress in pregnancy," "oxidative stress and congenital malformations," and "oxidative stress and adverse pregnancy outcomes." Studies have confirmed that oxidative stress has a significant impact on pregnancy and is involved in the pathomechanism of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Oxidative status of maternal blood in pregnancies burdened by inherited thrombophilias

Oxidative status of maternal blood represents an important parameter of pregnancy that is involved in both, regulation of physiological processes and (if significantly altered) development of different pregnancy complications. Inherited thrombophilias represent genetic disorders that increase the risk of thromboembolism in pregnancy. Little is known about the impact of thrombophilia on the oxidative status of maternal blood. In this study, we analyzed oxidative status of blood of 56 women with pregnancies burdened by inherited thrombophilias. The status was established at three different trimesters using biochemical assays and electrochemical measurements, and it was compared to 10 age- and trimester-matching controls. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase in the 1st and the 2nd trimester of thrombophilic pregnancy were lower than controls. Also, there was less oxidation in the plasma, according to higher concentration of reduced thiols and lower oxidation-reduction potential. Therefore, it appears that thrombophilic mothers do not experience oxidative stress in the circulation in the first two trimesters. However, the rise in GPx, GR and SOD activities in the 3rd trimester of thrombophilic pregnancy implies that the risk of oxidative stress is increased during the late pregnancy. These results are important for developing antioxidative treatment that could tackle thrombophilia-related pregnancy complications.

Oxidative Stress in Pregnant Women Between 12 and 20 Weeks of Gestation and Preterm Birth

BACKGROUND

A known relationship exists between oxidative stress and preterm birth (PTB). However, few studies have measured oxidative stress prospectively in early or midpregnancy, and no studies have used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy prospectively to predict PTB.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify predictive relationships between antioxidants and reactive oxygen species (ROS), specifically, superoxide (O2), peroxynitrite (OONO), and hydroxyl radical (OH), using EPR spectroscopy, measured between 12 and 20 weeks of gestation and compare with the incidence of PTB.

METHODS

Blood was obtained from pregnant women (n = 140) recruited from a tertiary perinatal center. Whole blood was analyzed directly for ROS, O2, OONO, and OH using EPR spectroscopy. Red blood cell lysate was used to measure antioxidants. PTB was defined as parturition at <37 weeks of gestation.

RESULTS

No differences were found between ROS, O2, OONO, or OH with the incidence of PTB. Catalase activity, glutathione, and reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio were significantly lower with PTB. Logistic regression suggests decreased catalase activity in pregnant women is associated with increased odds of delivering prematurely.

DISCUSSION

We prospectively compared antioxidants and specific ROS using EPR spectroscopy in pregnant women between 12 and 20 weeks of gestation with the incidence of PTB. Results are minimal but do suggest that antioxidants-specifically decreased catalase activity-in early pregnancy may be associated with PTB; however, these findings should be cautiously interpreted and may not have clinical significance.

Oxidative stress in early pregnancy and the risk of preeclampsia

INTRODUCTION

Preeclampsia (PE), one of the most serious complications of pregnancy, is characterized by endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. The pathophysiology of the disease is still unknown; however, evidence suggests that placental and maternal oxidative stress promote the disease process. Several studies have assessed levels of oxidative stress during pregnancy, but after diagnosis of PE. However, few studies have examined oxidative stress before PE diagnosis. Thus, the present work was aimed to gain further insight into the role of oxidative stress prior to diagnosis of PE (i.e. 12-20 weeks of gestation) and to further understand and predict PE incidence.

METHODS

Blood levels of superoxide (O₂^-) and erythrocyte antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) levels were measured in 23 preeclamptic pregnant women and 91 women with normal pregnancies. We further used logistic regression of O₂^- and each antioxidant level as the main predictor variable for PE risk.

RESULTS

CAT activity, GSH, and Total glutathione (TGSH) were significantly lower with All PE pregnant groups, whereas O₂^- levels were modestly, but significantly, higher in women with mild PE. Logistic regression analysis suggests increased CAT activity in pregnant women is associated with a decreased odds of being preeclamptic.

CONCLUSION

CAT is the only antioxidant as shown in our study to be related to the severity of the disease and may be a promising predictor for PE. Further studies are warranted to investigate the use of CAT as a novel therapeutic for PE.