Abstract:

[Abstract]   Objective   To investigate the effects of oral folic acid on cardiac development related gene expression of
offspring in an experimental model of coxsackievirus B3(CVB3) infection of pregnant rats.   Methods   SD female rats were randomized into control group, folic acid group, CVB3group and CVB3+ folic acid group. The female rats were given folic acid by gavage for2weeks before pregnancy in folic acid group and CVB3+ folic acid group. After conception for7days, rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of CVB3for5days in CVB3group and CVB3+ folic acid group. After natural childbirth neonatal heart was taken and stored in liquid nitrogen. The morphological changes of neonatal rat myocardial tissues were observed by HE staining. The expressions of GATA-4and NKx2.5mRNA were detected by RT- PCR and Western blot assay.  Results   There was significant myocardial injury, such as myocardial fiber disarray and myocardial fiber breakage, in neonatal rats in CVB3group. These damages were improved in CVB3+ folic acid group. The expression levels of GATA-4and NKx2.5genes in myocardial tissues were significantly lower in CVB3group than those of control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of GATA-4and NKx2.5proteins in myocardial tissues were significantly higher in CVB3+ folic acid group than those of CVB3group (P<0.05).   Conclusion   CVB3infection in the early pregnancy inhibited the expression of neonatal rat cardiac development factor. Folic acid supplementation has obvious protective effects on the neonatal rat cardiac development.

Key words: coxsackievirus infections, folic acid, Heart defect, congenital, GATA4transcription factor, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, blotting, 蛋白质