Effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and SP-A expression in newborn rats

QIAO Li-Xing; YU Zhang-Bin; HAN Shu-Ping; GU Xiao-Qi; CHEN Yu-Lin; SHA Li; JIN Jun-Xia; YAN Lu-Biao; GUO Xi-Rong

PDF(1744 KB)

Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ›› 2011, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (7) : 573-576.

Effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and SP-A expression in newborn rats

QIAO Li-Xing, YU Zhang-Bin, HAN Shu-Ping, GU Xiao-Qi, CHEN Yu-Lin, SHA Li, JIN Jun-Xia, YAN Lu-Biao, GUO Xi-Rong

Author information +

History +

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and protein A (SP-A) expression in newborn rats in order to explore the possible mechanism of lung developmental disorders. METHODS: Thirty-six adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly assigned into two groups: control and study (n=18). The study and the control groups were fed with fodder containing folic acid or not respectively. Two weeks later, the female rats in the two groups copulated with normal male rats. Newborn rats were sacrificed at 1, 7 and 14 days after birth (8 pups at each time point). Lung sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological examination. SP-A expression of protein and mRNA were determined by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS: The newborn rats from the study group showed damaged lung tissue structures. The mean optical density of type II cells with positive expression of SP-A decreased significantly from 1 to 14 days in newborn rats of the study group compared with the control newborn rats (P<0.05). The real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that the expression of lung SP-A mRNA also decreased significantly from 1 to 14 days in newborn rats of the study group compared with control newborn rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy can decrease the expression of SP-A in lung tissues of newborn rats, which might lead to the disorder of lung development maturation.

Key words

Folic acid / Surfactant protein A / Newborn rats

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

QIAO Li-Xing, YU Zhang-Bin, HAN Shu-Ping, GU Xiao-Qi, CHEN Yu-Lin, SHA Li, JIN Jun-Xia, YAN Lu-Biao, GUO Xi-Rong. Effects of maternal deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy on pulmonary development and SP-A expression in newborn rats[J]. Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics. 2011, 13(7): 573-576

References

［1］Montan S, Arulkumaran S. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome［J］. Lancet, 2006, 367(9526):1878-1879.

［2］杨琳琳, 封志纯. 肺表面活性物质蛋白A的提纯及其表面活性功能分析［J］. 中国当代儿科杂志，2000, 4(2):260-262.

［3］舒林华, 魏克伦, 尚云晓, 吴红敏, 李娟, 韩晓华, 等. 急性肺损伤幼鼠肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞和SP-A变化相关性的研究［J］. 中国当代儿科杂志，2008, 10(4):504-508.

［4］房春晓，陈贻骥. 维生素A在肺表面活性物质生成中的作用［J］. 儿科药学杂志, 2007, 13(2):54-56.

［5］Singh AJ, Bronshtein V, Khashu M, Lee K, Potts JE, Friel J, et al. Vitamin A is systemically bioavailable after intratracheal administration with surfactant in an animal model of newborn respiratory distress［J］. Pediatr Res, 2010, 67(6): 619-623.

［6］Xiao S, Hansen DK, Horsley ET, Tang YS, Khan RA, Stabler SP, et al. Maternal folate deficiency results in selective upregulation of folate receptors and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein-E1 associated with multiple subtle aberrations in fetal tissues［J］. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol, 2005, 73(1): 6-28.

［7］Walzem RL, Clifford AJ. Folate deficiency in rats fed diets containing free amino acids or intact proteins［J］. J Nutr, 1988, 118(9):1089-1096.

［8］Schwahn BC, Laryea MD, Chen Z, Melnyk S, Pogribny I, Garrow T, et al. Betaine rescue of an animal model with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency［J］. Biochem J, 2004, 382(Pt 3): 831-840.

［9］Sherwood KL, Houghton LA, Tarasuk V, O'Connor DL. One-third of pregnant and lactating women may not be meeting their folate requirements from diet alone based on mandated levels of folic acid fortification［J］. J Nutr, 2006,136(11): 2820-2826.

［10］Ryan-Harshman M, Aldoori W. Folic acid and prevention of neural tube defects［J］. Can Fam Physician, 2008,54(1):36-38.

［11］韩树萍，彭宇竹，李静，陈吉庆，刘茹，郭锡熔，等. 叶酸缺乏对孕鼠子代心脏超微结构及心脏发育相关基因表达的影响［J］. 实用儿科临床杂志, 2007,22(10): 774-776.

［12］刘茹，彭宇竹，李静，童华，顾筱琪，韩树萍，等. 孕鼠叶酸缺乏对子代心脏叶酸结合蛋白1基因及WNT信号转导途径的影响［J］. 实用儿科临床杂志, 2006,31(13): 820-822.