P-323 - In vivo investigation on the morphological and functional alterations of RBCs due to active tobacco smoke during pregnancy

Abstract

Prevalence of smoking during pregnancy risks to adverse outcomes in the mother-child healthcare system. The umbilical cord lacks innervations and thereby the main regulator of its vascular tone and blood flow is the nitric oxide (NO) signaling molecules produced by the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3). Recent evidences show that red blood cells (RBCs) also possess a functional NOS that synthesize bioactive NO which maintain the rheological properties of RBCs and may play a compensatory role in case of any dysfunction in the cord endothelium. Our study data followed distinct morphological and functional alterations in RBCs isolated from the heavy smoker mothers and their neonates’ cord blood. Immunolabelling showed significant changes in the activation of NOS3, macromolecular damages were developed by 4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal staining and lipidometry. Rheological alterations in the RBCs were measured by the Young Modulus parameter using atomic force microscopy. Our molecular and biophysical data outlines the marked effects of maternal smoking on the outcome of in- utero development due to the insufficient supply of O2 which may result in long-lasting (partially to epigenetic alteration) health consequences on the developing fetus.