title: Teratogenic effects of diabetes mellitus in the rat. Prevention by vitamin E.
abstract: We wanted to determine whether administration of vitamin E could reduce the production of free radicals which could play a role in the teratogenic effects of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats by the intravenous administration of streptozotocin. The animals were divided into six groups: one with no supplement (D) and two, supplemented during pregnancy either with oral vitamin E (150 mg/day) (D + E) or with a placebo (safflower oil) (D + O). Three other groups were kept under the same conditions, but were treated with insulin: D + I, D + I + E and D + I + O. There were three groups of matched controls: C, C + E and C + O. All animals were killed on day 11.5 of pregnancy. In C animals the percentages of reabsorptions and malformations were 1.3 and 2%, respectively, compared with 23.6, 24.3, 6.2 and 13.2%, respectively in D and D + I groups. The crown-rump length, number of somites, and protein and DNA content were higher in C animals than in the diabetic rats, independent of insulin treatment. When vitamin E was administered no changes in these parameters were observed in C and D + I animals; however, in the D mothers it reduced the rate of embryo malformations to 4.6% and increased the crown-rump length and the number of somites. However, vitamin E did not modify the protein and DNA content and the percentage of reabsorptions. In conclusion, administration of vitamin E to diabetic animals decreases the rate of embryo malformations and increases their size and maturation, supporting a role for free radicals in the teratogenic effects of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Hospital del Niño Jesús, Sección de Endocrinología, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonet
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000196:embryology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005327:Fetal Resorption; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008831:Microcephaly; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012450:Safflower Oil; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014810:Vitamin E; D019270:Fructosamine; D012450:Safflower Oil; D002784:Cholesterol; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid