title: Chronic ethanol exposure and folic acid supplementation: fetal growth and folate status in the maternal and fetal guinea pig.
abstract: Chronic ethanol exposure (CEE) can produce developmental abnormalities in the CNS of the embryo and developing fetus. Folic acid (FA) is an important nutrient during pregnancy and low folate status exacerbates ethanol-induced teratogenicity. This study tested the hypotheses that (1) CEE depletes folate stores in the mother and fetus; and (2) maternal FA supplementation maintains folate stores. CEE decreased fetal body, brain, hippocampus weights, and brain to body weight ratio but not hippocampus to body weight ratio. These effects of CEE were not mitigated by maternal FA administration. The FA regimen prevented the CEE-induced decrease of term fetal liver folate. However, it did not affect maternal liver folate or fetal RBC folate at term, and did not mitigate the nutritional deficit-induced decrease of term fetal hippocampus folate. This study suggests that maternal FA supplementation may have differential effects on folate status in the mother and the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hewitt
authors.forename: Amber L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Knuff
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jefkins
authors.forename: Christine P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brien
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D020567:Fetal Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008098:Litter Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D000431:Ethanol; D005492:Folic Acid