Protective Role of Vitamin A against Fetal Injuries Induced by Lipopolysaccharides

Aim: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is One of the important factors that could induce adverse developmental outcome. They include intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR), intra-uterine fetal death (IUFD) and embryonic resorption and preterm delivery in rodents. That is demonstrated that these are related to oxidative stress induced by LPS. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that has some antioxidative effects. We investigated protective role of this vitamin against LPS induced fetal defects in rat.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
Between October 2012 and April 2013.
Methodology: First pregnant rats were selected and then were divided to 4 groups. All pregnant rats except controls received an intraperitoneal (75 _g/kg, i.p.) injection of LPS daily on Gestation day (gd) 15–17. The second and third groups received 100 mg kg-1 of vitamin A (I.M.) daily one week before of first injection of LPS. On gd 18, The number of live fetuses, dead fetuses and resorption sites was counted. Live fetuses in each litter were weighted. Crown-rump and tail lengths were examined and skeletal development was evaluated. Also Maternal liver, placenta and fetal liver samples were excised for measurement of TBARS and GSH contents.
Results: Results show administration of LPS significantly increase fetal mortality, decrease fetal weight and crown-rump and tail lengths of live fetuses and retarded skeletal ossification in caudal vertebrae, anterior and posterior phalanges and supraoccipital bone that these are in agreement by other researches.
Conclusion: Our study showed that co-treatment of vitamin A and LPS could decrease defects of LPS and improve injuries. Our study suggests that vitamin A in role of antioxidant could protect fetal injuries induced by LPS in rat.