Antiteratogenic Effects of β-Carotene in Cultured Mouse Embryos Exposed to Nicotine

• Published in: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine Vol. 2013; no. 2013; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Lin, Chunmei, Yon, Jung-Min, Jung, A Young, Lee, Jong Geol, Jung, Ki Youn, Lee, Beom Jun, Yun, Young Won, Nam, Sang-Yoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Puplishing Corporation 01.01.2013; Hindawi Publishing Corporation; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Apoptosis; Bcl-x protein; Caspase; Caspase-3; Cell culture; Cell death; Cigarettes; Exposure; Fetuses; Glutathione peroxidase; Histology; Hypoxia; IL-1β; Inflammation; Lipid peroxidation; Manganese; Mitochondria; Morphology; Nicotine; Oxidative stress; Peroxidation; Phospholipids; Placenta; Smoking; Superoxide dismutase; Teratogenesis; Toxicology; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vitamins; β-Carotene; South Korea
• ISSN: 1741-427X; 1741-4288
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/575287

After maternal intake, nicotine crosses the placental barrier and causes severe embryonic disorders and fetal death. In this study, we investigated whether β-carotene has a beneficial effect against nicotine-induced teratogenesis in mouse embryos (embryonic day 8.5) cultured for 48 h in a whole embryo culture system. Embryos exposed to nicotine (1 mM) exhibited severe morphological anomalies and apoptotic cell death, as well as increased levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and caspase 3 mRNAs, and lipid peroxidation. The levels of cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase (SOD), mitochondrial manganese-dependent SOD, cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, hypoxia inducible factor 1α, and Bcl-xL mRNAs decreased, and SOD activity was reduced compared to the control group. However, when β-carotene (1×10−7 or 5×10−7μM) was present in cultures of embryos exposed to nicotine, these parameters improved significantly. These findings indicate that β-carotene effectively protects against nicotine-induced teratogenesis in mouse embryos through its antioxidative, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities.