Lipid peroxidation and vitamin E levels during pregnancy in rats

The present study examined pregnancy-related changes in the level of lipoperoxides and antioxidative substances such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and vitamin E in the maternal and fetal serum, liver, lungs, and placenta using Wistar rats. Pregnant rats fed a standard diet (control animals) showed an increase of lipoperoxides in the blood to a level 3 times greater than the non-pregnant level. When the rats were fed a vitamin E-deficient diet, lipoperoxides were produced in much greater amounts. Fetal blood also contained greater concentrations of lipoperoxides by the use of a vitamin E-deficient diet. However, liver and lung tissues contained lipoperoxides in essentially constant concentrations throughout non-pregnancy and pregnancy. Fetal liver and lung tissues showed higher concentrations than the maternal concentrations. Fetal blood and tissue concentrations of vitamin E reflected the maternal concentrations, and the values in vitamin E-deficient animals were as small as 0.1-0.2 of the values in normally fed animals. As a protective factor against lipid peroxidation, SOD was slightly increased in the liver tissues of pregnant control animals, but catalase and GSH-Px were significantly decreased in the organ. A similar tendency was observed in vitamin E-deficient animals.