Human Reproduction, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 102-106, 1993
© 1993 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
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Effect of xenobiotics on quinone reductase activity in first trimester explants
1The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and Research Camden, NJ, USA 2Feto-Placental Endocrine Unit, Rappaport Institute Technion Haifa, Israel
Correspondence: 3To whom correspondence should be addressed at: 3 Cooper Plaza, Suite 211, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
The placental protective enzyme quinone reductase (QR) has recently been reported to be induced by exposure to mercury, which is a toxic metal in vitro at term. In the present study we have examined the effect of three groups of xenobiotics-carcinogens, chemoprotectors and a natural antioxidant, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on this enzyme activity in the first trimester placenta in vitro. Incubations with the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BP) at 10–50 µM doses increased the enzyme activity at 6 h. At 24 h the effect of 10 uM BP was significant while that of 50 µM BP was not consistent. On the other hand the effect of 50 µM 3-methylcholanthrene at both time points was not significant. Ascorbic acid (5–25 µM) added for 24 h caused a 2- and 4-fold increase in the enzyme activity, respectively (P < 0.005). Exposure to a 25 µM concentration of different classes of chemoprotectors 2(3)-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyl-anisole (BHA), dicoumarol and Sudan I caused a 2.5- to 3.6-fold significant increase in the enzyme activity after 24 h (P < 0.01). Present data suggest that QR activity in the early placenta is responsive to a wide variety of xenobiotics in vitro. Vitamin C in concentrations usually consumed, exerted a potent effect on local QR activity in vitro which may protect pregnant women and their conceptus in an adverse environment.
Key words: enzyme/quinone reductase/xenobiotics
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