Antiteratogenic Effects of β-Carotene in Cultured Mouse Embryos Exposed to Nicotine

After maternal intake, nicotine crosses the placental barrier and causes severe embryonic disorders and fetal death. In this study, we investigated whether beta-carotene has a beneficial effect against nicotine-induced teratogenesis in mouse embryos (embryonic day 8.5) cultured for 48 h in a whole embryo culture system. Embryos exposed to nicotine (1 mM) exhibited severe morphological anomalies and apoptotic cell death, as well as increased levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and caspase 3 mRNAs, and lipid peroxidation. The levels of cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase (SOD), mitochondrial manganese-dependent SOD, cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx, hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha, and Bcl-x(L) mRNAs decreased, and SOD activity was reduced compared to the control group. However, when beta-carotene (1 x 10(-7) or 5 x 10(-7) mu M) was present in cultures of embryos exposed to nicotine, these parameters improved significantly. These findings indicate that beta carotene effectively protects against nicotine-nduced teratogenesis in mouse embryos through its antioxidative, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities.