Toxicology 217 (2006) 39–45 Ascorbic acid protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced intra-uterine fetal death and intra-uterine growth retardation in mice Yuan-Hua Chen a , De-Xiang Xu a,b,∗ , Lei Zhao a , Hua Wang a , Jian-Ping Wang a , Wei Wei b a Department of Toxicology, Anhui Medical University, Meishan Road, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, PR China b Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immunopharmacology of Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, PR China Received 4 July 2005; received in revised form 16 August 2005; accepted 16 August 2005 Available online 19 September 2005 Abstract Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been associated with adverse developmental outcomes including embryonic resorption, intra- uterine fetal death (IUFD), intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) and preterm labor. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate LPS-induced developmental toxicity. Ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ascorbic acid on LPS-induced IUFD and IUGR in mice. All ICR pregnant mice except controls received an intraperitoneal (75 g/kg, i.p.) injection of LPS daily on gd 15–17. The experiment was carried out in three different modes. In mode A, the pregnant mice were pretreated with a single dose (500 mg/kg, i.p.) of ascorbic acid before LPS. In mode B, the pregnant mice were administered with a single dose (500 mg/kg, i.p.) of ascorbic acid at 3 h after LPS. In mode C, the pregnant mice were administered with 500 mg/kg (i.p.) of ascorbic acid at 30 min before LPS, followed by additional dose (500 mg/kg, i.p.) of ascorbic acid at 3 h after LPS. The number of live fetuses, dead fetuses and resorption sites was counted on gd 18. Live fetuses in each litter were weighed. Crown- rump and tail lengths were examined and skeletal development was evaluated. Results showed that maternally administered LPS significantly increased fetal mortality, decreased fetal weight and crown-rump and tail lengths of live fetuses, and retarded skeletal ossification in caudal vertebrae, anterior and posterior phalanges, and supraoccipital bone. LPS-induced IUFD and IUGR were associated with lipid peroxidation and GSH depletion in maternal liver, placenta and fetal liver. Pre-treatment with ascorbic acid significantly attenuated LPS-induced lipid peroxidation, decreased fetal mortality, and reversed LPS-induced fetal growth and skeletal development retardation. By contrast to pre-treatment, post-treatment with ascorbic acid had less effect on LPS-induced IUFD, although post-treatment significantly attenuated LPS-induced lipid peroxidation and reversed LPS-induced fetal growth and skeletal development retardation. Furthermore, post-treatment with ascorbic acid reduced the protective effects of pre-treatment on LPS-induced IUFD. All these results suggest that pre-treatment with ascorbic acid protected against LPS-induced fetal death and reversed LPS-induced growth and skeletal development retardation via counteracting LPS-induced oxidative stress, whereas post-treatment had less effect on LPS-induced IUFD. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Antioxidant; Ascorbic acid; Lipopolysaccharide; Intra-uterine fetal death; Intra-uterine growth retardation Abbreviations: AA, ascorbic acid; GSH, glutathione; iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase; IUFD, intra-uterine fetal death; IUGR, intra- uterine growth retardation; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; NF-kB, nuclear factor-kB; NO, nitric oxide; O 2 •- , superoxide anion; OR, odds ratios; ROS, reactive oxygen species; TBARS, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 551 5161170. E-mail address: xudex@mail.hf.ah.cn (D.-X. Xu). 0300-483X/$ – see front matter © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2005.08.010