Maternal excess iron intake during pregnancy increases oxidative stress of placenta in rats.

Placenta is very susceptible tissue to oxidative stress and oxidative stress of placenta has been known as a pathology of gestational disease. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal excess iron intake on oxidative stress of placenta during pregnancy. Ten week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were mated with male rats. Pregnant dams were fed normal Fe (35mg/kg diet), high Fe (350mg/kg diet) and excess Fe (1050mg/kg diet) diets during pregnancy. Dams were sacrificed on day 19 of gestation. There was no significant difference in weight gain and food intake of dams and in weight of total fetus and placenta according to iron intake levels. However, the contents of liver iron and ferritin of pregnant dams were significantly increased with increasing of maternal iron intake. Also, those of placenta were more increased in high and excess Fe group than normal. Maternal excess iron intake increased protein carbonyls contents, as oxidation marker of protein but not malondialdehyde (MDA). There was declined the activity antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase in placenta of excess Fe group. The protein level of Cu-Zn SOD and MnSOD in placenta showed significant differences according to maternal iron intake level. In addition, the protein level of Bcl-2 as an antiapoptotic factor was remarkably declined with maternal excess iron. These results suggest that maternal excess iron intake may increase oxidative stress of placenta and it could affect redox status of fetal and neonatal tissue adversely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]