title: N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) attenuates LPS-induced maternal and amniotic fluid oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the preterm gestation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Maternal infection is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. We sought to determine whether N-acetyl-cysteine can decrease maternal oxidative stress and the inflammatory response in preterm gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant rats 16 days, were treated with (1) lipopolysaccharide, (2) N-acetyl-cysteine 120 minutes after lipopolysaccharide, or (3) saline solution (intraperitoneal). Six hours after lipopolysaccharide administration, serum lipid peroxide formation (LPO), tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β levels in maternal serum and amniotic fluid were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lipopolysaccharide significantly increased maternal serum lipid peroxide formation (24-118.5 nmol/mL; P < .05), and maternal serum and amniotic fluid tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. N-acetyl-cysteine treatment after lipopolysaccharide significantly attenuated lipid peroxide formation (47.5 nmol/mL) and proinflammatory cytokines response in maternal serum and amniotic fluid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal and amniotic fluid oxidative stress and inflammatory stimulation are attenuated by N-acetyl-cysteine even when administered after lipopolysaccharide. These results suggest that N-acetyl-cysteine may protect the fetus from adverse sequelae associated with inflammatory stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Nibal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Awad
authors.forename: Nizar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Yuval
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maravi
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Itsokovitz-Eldor
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beloosesky
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000111:Acetylcysteine