Fructose Consumption Affects Placental Production of H₂S: Impact on Preeclampsia-Related Parameters

H₂S, a gasotransmitter that can be produced both via the transsulfuration pathway and non-enzymatically, plays a key role in vasodilation and angiogenesis during pregnancy. In fact, the involvement of H₂S production on plasma levels of sFLT1, PGF, and other molecules related to preeclampsia has been demonstrated. Interestingly, we have found that maternal fructose intake (a common component of the Western diet) affects tissular H₂S production. However, its consumption is allowed during pregnancy. Thus, (1) to study whether maternal fructose intake affects placental production of H₂S in the offspring, when pregnant; and (2) to study if fructose consumption during pregnancy can increase the risk of preeclampsia, pregnant rats from fructose-fed mothers (10% w/v) subjected (FF) or not (FC) to a fructose supplementation were studied and compared to pregnant control rats (CC). Placental gene expression, H₂S production, plasma sFLT1, and PGF were determined. Descendants of fructose-fed mothers (FC) presented an increase in H₂S production. However, if they consumed fructose during their own gestation (FF), this effect was reversed so that the increase disappeared. Curiously, placental synthesis of H₂S was mainly non-enzymatic. Related to this, placental expression of Cys dioxygenase, an enzyme involved in Cys catabolism (a molecule required for non-enzymatic H₂S synthesis), was significantly decreased in FC rats. Related to preeclampsia, gene expression of sFLT1 (a molecule with antiangiogenic properties) was augmented in both FF and FC dams, although these differences were not reflected in their plasma levels. Furthermore, placental expression of PGF (a molecule with angiogenic properties) was decreased in both FC and FF dams, becoming significantly diminished in plasma of FC versus control dams. Both fructose consumption and maternal fructose intake induce changes in molecules that contribute to increasing the risk of preeclampsia, and these effects are not always mediated by changes in H₂S production.