Micronutrient prenatal supplementation prevents the development of hypertension and vascular endothelial damage induced by intrauterine malnutrition.
OBJECTIVE
The premise that intrauterine malnutrition plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular and renal diseases implies that these disorders can be programmed during fetal life. Here, we analyzed the hypothesis that supplementation with mixed antioxidant vitamins and essential mineral in early life could prevent later elevation of blood pressure and vascular and renal dysfunction associated with intrauterine malnutrition.


METHODS
For this, female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups on day 1 of pregnancy: control fed standard chow ad libitum; restricted group fed 50% of the ad libitum intake and a restricted plus micronutrient cocktail group treated daily with a combination of micronutrient (selenium, folate, vitamin C and vitamin E) by oral gavage.


RESULTS
In adult offspring, renal function and glomerular number were impaired by intrauterine malnutrition, and the prenatal micronutrient treatment did not prevent it. However, increased blood pressure and reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation were prevented by the micronutrient prenatal treatment. Intrauterine malnutrition also led to reduced NO production associated with increased superoxide generation, and these parameters were fully normalized by this prenatal treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Our current findings indicate that programming alterations during fetal life can be prevented by interventions during the prenatal period, and that disturbance in availability of both antioxidant vitamins and mineral may play a crucial role in determining the occurrence of long-term cardiovascular injury.
Franco
Maria do Carmo
Mdo C
Federal University of São Paulo - Nephrology Division - Medicine Department, R. Botucatu, 740 - São Paulo, SP 04023-900, Brazil. mdcfranco@nefro.epm.br
Ponzio
Beatriz Felice
BF
Gomes
Guiomar Nascimento
GN
Gil
Frida Zaladek
FZ
Tostes
Rita
R
Carvalho
Maria Helena Catelli
MH
Fortes
Zuleica Bruno
ZB
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D048070:Fetal Nutrition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
D018977:Micronutrients; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide