Antioxidative effects of flavonoids and their metabolites against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced oxidative stress in a human first trimester trophoblast cell line

• Published in: Food chemistry 2019-01, Vol.272, p.117-125
• Main Authors: Ebegboni, Vernon J., Dickenson, John M., Sivasubramaniam, Shiva D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant; Antioxidants - metabolism; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Cell Hypoxia - drug effects; Cell Line; Female; Flavonoids; Flavonoids - metabolism; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Hesperetin oxidative stress; Hesperidin; HTR-8/SVneo; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide - metabolism; Hypoxia/reoxygenation; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxygen - metabolism; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Q3G; Quercetin; Trophoblast; Trophoblasts - cytology; Trophoblasts - drug effects; Trophoblasts - metabolism
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.08.036

•Flavonoids provide cytoprotective against HR–induced oxidative stress in HTR-8/SVneo.•Flavonoids are effective against the production of reactive oxygen species.•Their protective effect is brought about via the reduction of caspase 3/7 activation.•Increasing the intake of in flavonoids rich food may benefit early pregnancy. This study aimed to investigate the cytoprotective effects of flavonoids, their metabolites alone or in combination against hypoxia/reoxygenation induced oxidative stress in the transformed human first trimester trophoblast cell line (HTR-8/SVneo). Oxidative stress was achieved with hypoxia followed by reoxygenation and the following assays were performed: MTT, CellTox™ Green Cytotoxicity, CellTiter-Glo®, NADP/NADPH-Glo™, ROS-Glo™/H2O2, GSH/GSSG-Glo™ and Caspase-Glo® 3/7 assays. HTR-8/SVneo cells, pre-treated for 24 h with flavonoids or their metabolites were protected significantly from oxidative stress. Flavonoids were associated with ROS modulation, reducing the generation of superoxide/hydrogen peroxide. The activities of caspases 3/7 were also significantly reduced significantly in HTR-8/SVneo cells pre-treated with flavonoids. This study has shown for the first time that 24 h pre-treatment with flavonoids, their metabolites alone or in combination, protected against HR-induced oxidative stress in the trophoblast cell line. These data indicate that dietary flavonoids may be beneficial to placental health and invasion during early gestation.