Assessment of squalene eligibility in bettering some maternal and fetal disorders instigated by gamma irradiation of rats at mid gestation

Abstract

Purpose: Squalene is an eminent vital part of the synthesis of steroid hormones in the body as well as the first specific intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis that plays an essential role in normal embryogenesis. The present work was designed to test the maternal and embryonic response to the modulating capacity of squalene (0.4 ml/kg/d), when supplemented to rats from days 1 to 18 of pregnancy, against the damaging consequences induced by maternal subjection to 3 Gy gamma irradiation on day 10 post-conception.

Materials and methods: The experimental protocol comprised of four different pregnant groups, namely: (1) control, (2) squalene supplemented, (3) irradiated and (4) squalene supplemented + irradiated.

Results: It has been detected that radiation has increased the maternal blood lactate dehydrogenase (as a marker of tissue injury), cholesterol, triglycerides, estradiol and progesterone and has also provoked the oxidative stress that has been demonstrated by the increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and the decreased glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). These maternal changes were associated with high embryonic lethality, growth retardation, severe developmental abnormalities and defective neural tube closure expressed by exencephaly. However, squalene treatment has significantly improved the radiation imposed maternal variations and reduced the embryonic mortality, although it has not been able to attenuate the embryonic neural tube defects.

Conclusions: It has been presumed that the maternal mid-gestational irradiation (day 10) has affected the fetal nervous system development with concomitant maternal oxidative stress, hyperlipidemia, and increased progesterone and estradiol levels. Squalene uptake has improved the maternal variations and reduced the embryonic mortality while could not stop or improve the embryonic neural tube defects imposed by radiation at this exact radiation timing.

Keywords:

• Antioxidants
• radiation
• embryo
• physiology
• peroxidation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maha Fawzy Ibrahim

Maha Fawzy Ibrahim is working in an Embryology Laboratory, Radiation Biology Department, as an Assistant Professor of Embryology at the National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.

Nahed Abdelaziz

Nahed Abdelaziz is working in Physiology Laboratory, Radiation Biology Department, as an Assistant Professor at the National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.