N-Acetylcysteine Prevents Programmed Hypertension in Male Rat Offspring Born to Suramin-Treated Mothers

Adulthood hypertension can be programmed by preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is associated with an imbalance in vasoactive factors, including nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and renin-angiotensin system (RAS). We examined whether maternal N-acetylcysteine (NAC) therapy prevented maternal suramin treatment-induced programmed hypertension in offspring and explored the effects of this therapy on NO, H2S, and RAS pathways in the kidneys. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally administered 60 mg/kg suramin alone on Gestational Days 10 and 11 and were treated with or without 1% NAC through drinking water during the entire pregnancy and lactation period. Male offspring were divided into four groups (n = 8-10/group): control, suramin, NAC, and suramin plus NAC. All rat offspring were euthanized at 12 wk of age. Maternal suramin treatment induced programmed hypertension in male offspring, which was prevented by maternal NAC therapy. Suramin-induced programmed hypertension was associated with increased plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA, an NO synthase inhibitor) level, decreased plasma L-arginine-to-ADMA ratio, and decreased renal dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (an ADMA-metabolizing enzyme) activity. Protective effects of NAC against suramin-induced programmed hypertension were associated with an increase in plasma glutathione level, increase in renal 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase level, and restoration of suramin-induced reduction in H2S synthesis in the kidneys. Suramin treatment exerted negligible effect on the RAS pathway in the adult male offspring kidneys. Our data suggested interplay among suramin, ADMA-NO pathway, and H2S synthesis pathway in programmed hypertension. Furthermore, NAC administration in pregnant rats with hypertension prevented programmed hypertension in adult offspring.