Ibrahim Sogut1, Onur Uysal2, Aysegul Oglakci3, Ferruh Yucel4, Kazim Kartkaya3, Gungor Kanbak3. 1. Vocational School of Health Services, Istanbul Bilim University, Yazarlar Sok. No:17, 34394, Istanbul, Turkey. ibrahim.sogut@gmail.com. 2. Vocational School of Health Services, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey. 3. Medical School, Department of Biochemistry, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey. 4. Medical School, Department of Anatomy, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Alcohol consumption in pregnancy may cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the infant. This study aims to investigate prenatal alcohol exposure related neuroapoptosis on the cerebral cortex tissues of newborn rats and possible neuroprotective effects of betaine, folic acid, and combined therapy. METHODS: Pregnant rats were divided into five experimental groups: control, ethanol, ethanol + betaine, ethanol + folic acid, and ethanol + betaine + folic acid combined therapy groups. We measured cytochrome c release, caspase-3, calpain and cathepsin B and L. enzyme activities. In order to observe apoptotic cells in the early stages, TUNEL method was chosen together with histologic methods such as assessing the diameters of the apoptotic cells, their distribution in unit volume and volume proportion of cortical intact neuron nuclei. RESULTS: Calpain, caspase-3 activities, and cytochrome c levels were significantly increased in alcohol group while cathepsin B and L. activities were also found to be elevated albeit not statistically significant. These increases were significantly reversed by folic acid and betaine + folic acid treatments. While ethanol increased the number of apoptotic cells, this increase was prevented in ethanol + betaine and ethanol + betaine + folic acid groups. Morphometric examination showed that the mean diameter of apoptotic cells was increased with ethanol administration while this increase was reduced by betaine and betaine + folic acid treatments. CONCLUSION: We observed that ethanol is capable of triggering apoptotic cell death in the newborn rat brains. Furthermore, folic acid, betaine, and combined therapy of these supplements may reduce neuroapoptosis related to prenatal alcohol consumption, and might be effective on preventing fetal alcohol syndrome in infants.
PURPOSE:Alcohol consumption in pregnancy may cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the infant. This study aims to investigate prenatal alcohol exposure related neuroapoptosis on the cerebral cortex tissues of newborn rats and possible neuroprotective effects of betaine, folic acid, and combined therapy. METHODS: Pregnant rats were divided into five experimental groups: control, ethanol, ethanol + betaine, ethanol + folic acid, and ethanol + betaine + folic acid combined therapy groups. We measured cytochrome c release, caspase-3, calpain and cathepsin B and L. enzyme activities. In order to observe apoptotic cells in the early stages, TUNEL method was chosen together with histologic methods such as assessing the diameters of the apoptotic cells, their distribution in unit volume and volume proportion of cortical intact neuron nuclei. RESULTS: Calpain, caspase-3 activities, and cytochrome c levels were significantly increased in alcohol group while cathepsin B and L. activities were also found to be elevated albeit not statistically significant. These increases were significantly reversed by folic acid and betaine + folic acid treatments. While ethanol increased the number of apoptotic cells, this increase was prevented in ethanol + betaine and ethanol + betaine + folic acid groups. Morphometric examination showed that the mean diameter of apoptotic cells was increased with ethanol administration while this increase was reduced by betaine and betaine + folic acid treatments. CONCLUSION: We observed that ethanol is capable of triggering apoptotic cell death in the newborn rat brains. Furthermore, folic acid, betaine, and combined therapy of these supplements may reduce neuroapoptosis related to prenatal alcohol consumption, and might be effective on preventing fetal alcohol syndrome in infants.
Authors: Chainllie Young; Kevin A Roth; Barbara J Klocke; Tim West; David M Holtzman; Joann Labruyere; Yue-Qin Qin; Krikor Dikranian; John W Olney Journal: Neurobiol Dis Date: 2005-05-31 Impact factor: 5.996
Authors: C Ikonomidou; P Bittigau; M J Ishimaru; D F Wozniak; C Koch; K Genz; M T Price; V Stefovska; F Hörster; T Tenkova; K Dikranian; J W Olney Journal: Science Date: 2000-02-11 Impact factor: 47.728
Authors: Chris Downing; Thomas E Johnson; Colin Larson; Tatiana I Leakey; Rachel N Siegfried; Tonya M Rafferty; Craig A Cooney Journal: Alcohol Date: 2010-08-12 Impact factor: 2.405