Plasma Redox Balance in Advanced-Maternal-Age Pregnant Women and Effects of Plasma on Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2024-05, Vol.25 (9), p.4869
• Main Authors: Grossini, Elena, Aquino, Carmen Imma, Venkatesan, Sakthipriyan, Troìa, Libera, Tizzoni, Eleonora, Fumagalli, Federica, Ferrante, Daniela, Vaschetto, Rosanna, Remorgida, Valentino, Surico, Daniela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Analysis; Antioxidants; Birth rate; Cell Survival; Cesarean section; Female; Gestational diabetes; Glutathione - blood; Glutathione - metabolism; Health aspects; Humans; Hypertension; Lipids; Maternal Age; Medical societies; Mesenchymal Stem Cells - metabolism; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - blood; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Ovaries; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Plasma; Plasma - metabolism; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sapropterin dihydrochloride; Statistical analysis; Stem cells; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism; Umbilical cord; Umbilical Cord - cytology; Umbilical Cord - metabolism; Women; Womens health
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094869

Pregnancy at advanced maternal age (AMA) is a condition of potential risk for the development of maternal-fetal complications with possible repercussions even in the long term. Here, we analyzed the changes in plasma redox balance and the effects of plasma on human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells (hUMSCs) in AMA pregnant women (patients) at various timings of pregnancy. One hundred patients and twenty pregnant women younger than 40 years (controls) were recruited and evaluated at various timings during pregnancy until after delivery. Plasma samples were used to measure the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione and nitric oxide (NO). In addition, plasma was used to stimulate the hUMSCs, which were tested for cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO release. The obtained results showed that, throughout pregnancy until after delivery in patients, the levels of plasma glutathione and NO were lower than those of controls, while those of TBARS were higher. Moreover, plasma of patients reduced cell viability and NO release, and increased ROS release in hUMSCs. Our results highlighted alterations in the redox balance and the presence of potentially harmful circulating factors in plasma of patients. They could have clinical relevance for the prevention of complications related to AMA pregnancy.