Effects of dietary soy on ethanol-impaired placentation and fetal growth

Abstract

s / Placenta 34 (2013) A1–A99 A37 multivitamin supplementation; however, the safety of niacin in pregnancy has not been established. In vitro studies demonstrate the potential for teratogenicity with high doses of niacin. Moreover, excessive niacin levels consumed by the non-pregnant population demonstrated induced apoptosis within hepatocytes. However, no studies to date have analysed the effects of high doses of niacin on placental health and function. Thus, it was hypothesized that increasing doses of niacin past the normal physiological concentrationwill initiate a stress response in an in vitro placental explant culture model. Methodology: Human placental explants were collected following elective Caesarean section from term healthy pregnancies at the Ottawa General Hospital. Placental explants were exposed to increasing concentrations (2-1000 ug/mL) of niacin for a 24-hour incubation period at 5% oxygen (N1⁄44). Placental cell viability and function were assessed through measurement of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) production. Results: Across all doses of niacin tested (2-1000 mg/mL) no changes in LDH release, immunoreactivity for activated caspase-3 and hCG production were observed. Conclusion: There is no evidence to suggest that excessive niacin induces aberrant changes in placental cell viability or function. Additional in vitro experiments are needed to confirm that niacin intake past the currently established UL for pregnancy does not harm the feto-placental unit. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2013.06.109 P1.73. EFFECTS OF DIETARY SOY ON ETHANOL-IMPAIRED PLACENTATION AND FETAL GROWTH Fusun Gundogan , Wei Qi , Jeffrey Gilligan , Suzanne de la Monte 2,3 Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University,