environmental toxicology and pharmacology 32 ( 2 0 1 1 ) 315–318 available at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/etap Short communication In utero exposure to air pollution lowers erythrocyte antioxidant defense and decreases weight in adult mice Karina Camasmie Abe a , Letícia de Campos Brandão a , Sérgio Tufik a , Paulo Hilário do Nascimento Saldiva b , Vânia D’Almeida a,* a Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil b Laboratory of Air Pollution, Department of Pathology, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil article info Article history: Received 20 October 2010 Received in revised form 24 April 2011 Accepted 2 May 2011 Available online 7 May 2011 Keywords: Air pollution Antioxidant defense Catalase Superoxide dismutase Glutathione peroxidase abstract In this study, we tested the influence of ambient air pollution on different phases of devel- opment of adult mice. With respect to adult weight, the animals that had spent their in utero period exposed to pollution showed less weight gain over their lifetime, as well as lower activity levels of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Our study suggests that contact with atmospheric pollutants during the foetal period produces important changes on enzymatic erythrocyte antioxidant defense and weight in adult mice. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Ambient air pollution is recognized worldwide as an important health problem. Infants and children are among the most sus- ceptible, even at exposure levels previously considered safe (Kim, 2004). Maternal exposure to heavy metals, especially lead, increases the risks of abortion and reduces foetal growth (Salvi, 2007). Moreover, Hoxha et al. (2009) demonstrated that leukocyte telomere length is shortened in subjects exposed to Abbreviations: Hb, hemoglobin; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GSHt, total glutathione; PM, particulate matter; PM 10 , particulate mat- ter < 10 m in aerodynamic diameter; PND, postnatal day; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SEM, standard error of mean; SOD, superoxide dismutase. ∗ Corresponding author at: Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, 3rd floor, São Paulo, SP 04024-002, Brazil. Tel.: +55 11 2149 0155x283; fax: +55 11 5572 5092. E-mail addresses: vaniadalmeida@uol.com.br, abe kc@yahoo.com.br (V. D’Almeida). traffic pollution, suggesting a link with early biological aging and disease. The mechanisms of air pollution-induced health effects are believed to involve inflammation and oxidative stress (Knaapen et al., 2004). Similarly, metals or organic compounds on particle surfaces can elicit an inflammatory response. These factors, acting independently or in combination, may promote oxidative stress in target tissues (Pereira et al., 2007) and commonly induce catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and their isoforms (Hermes- 1382-6689/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2011.05.001