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.
Study design: 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.
Conclusion: 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.
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