Abstract
Oxidative processes exert a fundamental regulatory function during pregnancy. It depends on the influence of oxygen, nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species metabolic pathways upon the vascular changes in the maternal organism, as well as on the regulation of uterine and cervical tone throughout gestation and delivery. These functions are strictly linked with the mediators of the inflammatory pathway. At the beginning of pregnancy, when a certain grade of inflammatory change is necessary to the trophoblast invasion of maternal tissue, the activation of the process by nitric oxide and reactive nitrogen species is welcome. Indeed, these products modulate the metalloproteinases, which are responsible for the remodelling of uterine extracellular matrix. At this stage estrogens are involved as well in the regulation of the delicate balance of pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant effects. Furthermore, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species appear to play an important role both in normal and pathologic embryogenesis. During advanced pregnancy, a derangement of the oxidative balance can lead to the improper activation of inflammatory changes, thus triggering premature labour as well as other complications, such as foetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. Although a number of pro- and anti-oxidant agents are available to influence the above-mentioned processes, there is no way to adequately measure the oxidative needs in single cases, in order to modulate the oxidative balance in clinical practice. Pharmacological research should be addressed to the development of new drugs, as well as to selective methods of delivery to the gestational tissues.
Keywords: reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, antioxidants, pregnancy, preeclampsia and premature labour
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: The Role and Modulation of the Oxidative Balance in Pregnancy
Volume: 11 Issue: 16
Author(s): Carla Biondi, Barbara Pavan, Laura Lunghi, Sara Fiorini and Fortunato Vesce
Affiliation:
Keywords: reactive oxygen species, reactive nitrogen species, antioxidants, pregnancy, preeclampsia and premature labour
Abstract: Oxidative processes exert a fundamental regulatory function during pregnancy. It depends on the influence of oxygen, nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species metabolic pathways upon the vascular changes in the maternal organism, as well as on the regulation of uterine and cervical tone throughout gestation and delivery. These functions are strictly linked with the mediators of the inflammatory pathway. At the beginning of pregnancy, when a certain grade of inflammatory change is necessary to the trophoblast invasion of maternal tissue, the activation of the process by nitric oxide and reactive nitrogen species is welcome. Indeed, these products modulate the metalloproteinases, which are responsible for the remodelling of uterine extracellular matrix. At this stage estrogens are involved as well in the regulation of the delicate balance of pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant effects. Furthermore, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species appear to play an important role both in normal and pathologic embryogenesis. During advanced pregnancy, a derangement of the oxidative balance can lead to the improper activation of inflammatory changes, thus triggering premature labour as well as other complications, such as foetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. Although a number of pro- and anti-oxidant agents are available to influence the above-mentioned processes, there is no way to adequately measure the oxidative needs in single cases, in order to modulate the oxidative balance in clinical practice. Pharmacological research should be addressed to the development of new drugs, as well as to selective methods of delivery to the gestational tissues.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Biondi Carla, Pavan Barbara, Lunghi Laura, Fiorini Sara and Vesce Fortunato, The Role and Modulation of the Oxidative Balance in Pregnancy, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2005; 11 (16) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612054065747
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612054065747 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
The Role of Ultrasonography of Peripheral Entheses in the Diagnosis and Assessment of Spondyloarthropathies
Current Rheumatology Reviews Concerns and Hopes for Stem Cell Therapy in Cardiology: Focus on Endothelial Progenitor Cells
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Role of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Cardiovascular Function
Current Pharmaceutical Design Metabolic Features Across the Female Life Span in Women with PCOS
Current Pharmaceutical Design Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Current Vascular Pharmacology Current Tools and Methods in Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations for Drug Design
Current Medicinal Chemistry Regulation of Inflammation and Myocardial Fibrosis in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) Epistatic Control of Human Obesity as Revealed by Linkage Disequili-brium Mapping: A Report from the NHLBI-Sponsored WISE Study
Current Genomics Integrative Control of Gastrointestinal Motility by Nitric Oxide
Current Medicinal Chemistry Treatment Strategies for Fatty Liver Diseases
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Myogenic Properties of Brain and Cardiac Vessels and their Relation to Disease
Current Vascular Pharmacology Patent Selections
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery The Current Indications and the Benefits of Combining a β3-Agonist with an Anticholinergic for the Treatment of OAB
Current Drug Targets Recent Patents on Ophthalmic Nanoformulations and Therapeutic Implications
Recent Patents on Drug Delivery & Formulation Differential Regulation of microRNAs in Patients with Ischemic Stroke
Current Neurovascular Research Cardiovascular and Renovascular Implications of COX-2 Inhibition
Current Pharmaceutical Design Leptin as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Immune Intervention
Current Drug Targets - Inflammation & Allergy Recent Advances in Sepsis Research: Novel Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets
Current Medicinal Chemistry Connexins, Diabetes and the Metabolic Syndrome
Current Protein & Peptide Science In Vitro CYP2D Inhibitory Effect and Influence on Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamic Parameters of Metoprolol Succinate by Terminalia arjuna in Rats
Drug Metabolism Letters