Vitamin A supplementation to pregnant and breastfeeding female rats induces oxidative stress in the neonatal lung

Vitamin A is an essential micronutrient that regulates many biological processes through modulation of retinoic acid receptor-responsive genes. Vitamin A acts as a systemic antioxidant, participating in the modulation of diverse redox mechanisms involved in physiological and pathological processes. Different studies, however, observed that vitamin A and other retinoids may induce pro-oxidant/deleterious actions under certain conditions, leading to impairment of brain and lung function. Here, we studied the effect of vitamin A treatment at oral doses of 100 IU/kg, 200 IU/kg, and 300 IU/kg to female rats (Rattus norvegicus) during pregnancy and lactation on oxidative parameters of lungs from the offspring vitamin A supplementation induced increases in lipoperoxidation, protein carbonyl, activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase (200 IU/kg, and 300 IU/kg), and decreased sulphydryl protein (500 IU/kg) content in the neonatal lung. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.