Maternal nicotine exposure leads to impaired disulfide bond formation and augmented endoplasmic reticulum stress in the rat placenta.

ABSTRACT: Maternal nicotine exposure has been associated with many adverse fetal and placental outcomes. Although underlying mechanisms remain elusive, recent studies have identified that augmented endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is linked to placental insufficiency. Moreover, ER function depends on proper disulfide bond formation--a partially oxygen-dependent process mediated by protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and ER oxidoreductases. Given that nicotine compromised placental development in the rat, and placental insufficiency has been associated with poor disulfide bond formation and ER stress, we hypothesized that maternal nicotine exposure leads to both placental ER stress and impaired disulfide bond formation. To test this hypothesis, female Wistar rats received daily subcutaneous injections

SUBMITTER: Wong MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4374683 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature