Effect of maternal diabetes and hypercholesterolemia on fetal liver of albino Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to predict the development of hepatic lesions and impairment of function during the development of fetuses (13-, 15-, 17-, and 19-d-old embryos) of diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers. METHODS: Eighty virgin and fertile male rats (one male/three females) of Wistar strain with an average body weight of 150 to 180 g were used. Mating was carried out, and pregnancy was determined by examining sperm in vaginal smears. Pregnant rats were arranged into three groups; control, diabetic (single intraperitoneal injection [i.p.] of 60 mg streptozotocin/kg) and hypercholesterolemic groups (fed on a diet containing 3% cholesterol for 6 wk before conception and throughout gestation) (n = 20). Pregnant rats were sacrificed and 13-, 15-, 17-, and 19-d-old embryos and livers were incised and subjected to histological and transmission electronic microscopical (TEM) investigations, assessments of alkaline phosphatase (Al-Pase) isoenzymes electrophoresis, DNA fragmentation, and comet assay. Flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis and caspases 3 and 9 in the livers of mother rats and their 19-d-old fetuses was determined. RESULTS: Histologic findings of diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers revealed apparent damage of hepatocytes, accumulation of lipid-laden cells, and vascular steatosis, while the 13-, 15-, 17- or 19-d-old fetuses of either diabetic or hypercholesterolemic mothers revealed disorganized hepatic architecture and massive cell damage. TEM of diseased mothers and their fetuses possessed increased incidence of pyknotic hepatocytes with massive vesicuolation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and degeneration of mitochondria. Al-Pase isoenzymes were altered and genomic DNA of both double and single helical structures were markedly damaged, especially in fetuses of maternally diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers. Flow cytometry revealed an increase in apoptosis and caspases 3 and 9 in diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers and their 19-d-old fetuses. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that maternal diabetes and hypercholesterolemia predicted early hepatitis and increased apoptosis in mothers and their fetuses as a result of oxidative stress and elevated apoptic markers caspases 3 and 9.

Cardiomyopathy and angiogenesis defects of Wistar rat fetuses of diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to illustrate the histogenesis, lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes electrophoresis, and DNA damage of cardiac muscles and blood vessels during prenatal life of maternal diabetic or hypercholesterolemic mother. METHODS: Eighty fertile male and virgin female Wistar rats (1 male/3 females), weighing approximately 130 g, were mated and zero date of gestation was determined. Diabetes was induced at the fifth day of gestation by intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 60 mg streptozotocin/kg body weight in citrate buffer, pH 4.6. At the same time, hypercholesterolemia was carried out by feeding virgin rats a diet containing 3% cholesterol for 6 wk before the onset of conception. Pregnant rats were arranged into three groups: control, diabetic, and hypercholesterolemic (n = 20). The animals were sacrificed and embryos were separated at 7-, 13-, 15-, 17-, and 19 d old, respectively, and subjected to light and transmission electron microscopy, lactic dehydrogenases isoenzymes electrophoresis, DNA fragmentation, and comet assay. The sera of the mothers were examined for fasting glucose level, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and creatine phosphokinase levels. RESULTS: Diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers exhibited a significant increase of sera cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein, and creatine phosphokinase activity. Histologic findings of embryos of diabetic and hypercholesterolemic mothers revealed cardiomyopathy and malformation of blood vessels with an apparent degeneration of their endothelium. Transmission electron microscopy possessed massive necrosis of muscle fibers, disorganization of Z and I bands, and mitochondrial damage. Lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme electrophoresis was altered and genomic DNA fragmentation was markedly increased. CONCLUSION: Maternal diabetes or hypercholesterolemia led to marked alterations in blood vessel differentiation as well as to cardiomyopathy during prenatal growth as assessed by the disruption of fine structures, abnormal lactic dehydrogenase isoenzymes electrophoresis, and an increase of DNA damage. These may be attributed to the marked oxidative stress and liberation of free oxygen radicals, which interrupted the myocardium structure and function during organogenesis.

Effects of fried potato chip supplementation on mouse pregnancy and fetal development.

OBJECTIVE: Acrylamide (ACR), a proven rodent carcinogen, is present at significantly high quantities in commonly consumed foods such as potato chips, raising a health concern worldwide. METHODS: The effects of ACR and fried potato chips (FPC) on pregnant mice and their offspring before and after birth were investigated and compared. RESULTS: In the pregnant mice, similar histologic abnormalities were found in various tissues for ACR intoxication and FPC supplementation. Drastic alterations were mainly seen in the liver, kidney, heart muscle, and epiphyseal cartilage of experimental dams. ACR and FPC increased the rate of abortion and neonatal mortality and decreased the total number, body weight, size, and crown-rump length of the offspring before and after birth. Interestingly, however, higher rates of congenital malformations were observed in the FPC-treated group. Although ossification of axial and appendicular bones was markedly retarded during fetal development, some ossified bones were missing in newly born offspring of treated groups. Furthermore, the incidence of missing ossification centers was higher in the FPC-treated than in the ACR-treated neonates. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that FPC can cause hazardous health effects and warrant a systematic study on the health effects of consumption of FPC and French fries in the general population.