title: Brain lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels in fetal lambs 72 hours after asphyxia by partial umbilical cord occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explain the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of brain damage caused by intrauterine fetal asphyxia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six chronically instrumented near-term fetal lambs were subjected to asphyxia by partial umbilical cord occlusion for approximately 60 minutes until fetal arterial pH diminished to less than 6.9 and base excess to less than -20 mEq. Another six fetuses surgically prepared but not occluded were used as control. Fetuses were killed after 72 hours and eight different brain regions (frontal and parietal gray matter, frontal and parietal white matter, basal ganglia, thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellum) were dissected and assayed for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels in asphyxiated animals were elevated in frontal and parietal white matter, basal ganglia, and thalamus compared with those in controls. The concentrations of superoxide dismutase in the asphyxiated group were also higher in frontal and parietal white matter, basal ganglia, and cerebellum compared with those in the control group. Between the two groups, however, glutathione concentrations did not differ significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that oxidative stress may be a major contributing factor to the development of brain damage in intrauterine fetal asphyxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Quilligan
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Parer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003250:Constriction; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012756:Sheep; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014470:Umbilical Cord
chemical_list: D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione