Maternal reproductive health: Expression patterns of antioxidant enzyme selenoproteins of post-implantation embryos conceived by ethanol-Treated murine mothers supplemented with α-Tocopherol

Objective: To investigate if the protective effect of α-Tocopherol against the impact of ethanol on brain morphogenesis involved the activity of the selenoproteins phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx; GPx4) and selenoprotein P (SelPP) that have roles against oxidative stress. Methods: Forty female mice were randomly assigned into natural control (CON), positive control (ETOH), low-, medium-, and high-α-Tocopherol-supplemented-ethanol groups (LTOC, MTOC, HTOC, respectively). CON received drinking water without ethanol while ETOH, LTOC, MTOC and HTOC groups received 20% ethanol in drinking water. The supplemented groups were given respective dosages of α-Tocopherol, 0.410, 0.819, and 1.640 mg/g body weight, at day 14 before mating onwards to the day 9 of gestation. At 10.5 ED of gestation (1 100 h), the pregnant females were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the embryos were harvested. Total RNA were extracted, cDNA synthesis and qRT-PCR analyses were carried out. Results: The level of expression of PHGPx in the positive control was significantly lower than that of the natural control. Among the three α-Tocopherol-supplemented groups, only the medium dose-group was significantly higher than the positive control. The level of expression of SelPP in the positive control was significantly lower than those of the natural control, the low-and medium-dose-Tocopherol supplemented groups. In the high dose-α-Tocopherol supplemented group, the level of expression was not significantly different from the positive control but significantly lower than the natural control. Conclusions: The activity of the selenoproteins PHGPx and SelPP are involved in the internetwork of antioxidative enzymes with vitamin E when given up to a medium dose only and is one of the possible pathways of shielding embryonic development against the impact of ethanol on brain morphogenesis. This study strengthens the impact of dietary α-Tocopherol and Selenium supplement during the critical period of pregnancy