Effect of SOD-mimetic Fe-chlorine e6-Na on the level of brain lipid peroxide of rat fetal brains exposed to reactive oxygen species leading to intrauterine growth retardation

The influence of oxidative stress in rat brain and liver on intrauterine gr owth retardation (IUGR) in rat fetuses was examined. Twenty pregnant Wistar rats were used. On the 15th day of pregnancy, uterine artery and vein were ligated bilaterally using a modified Wigglesworth method. On the 21st day of pregnancy, the fetuses were delivered by hysterotomy. Fetal blood was co llected by cardiac puncture. Fetal brain and liver were removed for the ana lysis of lipid peroxide. Sham surgical operations were performed in the con trol rats. Within the ligated group, a superoxide dismutase mimicking subst ance, Fe-chlorine e6-Na (FeCNa), was injected intraperitoneally once a day from day 15 of gestation to day 20. Fetal blood, brain, and liver were stor ed at -70 degrees C until analysis. Control rats received an equivalent vol ume of saline. In growth-retarded fetuses, both superoxide released from er ythrocytes and brain lipid peroxide showed significantly higher levels, but not superoxide dismutase in erythrocytes and liver lipid peroxide. These c hanges were alleviated by injection of superoxide dismutase-mimicking subst ance, FeCNa. Rat fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation suffered from a significant oxidative stress in utero. The increase in reactive oxygen s pecies was alleviated by an injection of FeCNa. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karge r AG, Basel.