OBJECTIVE Magnesium sulfate is proposed to have neuroprotective effects in the offspring. We examined the effects of maternal magnesium sulfate administration on maternal and fetal inflammatory responses in a rat model of maternal infection. STUDY DESIGN Pregnant rats were injected with saline, Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide or lipopolysaccharide with magnesium sulfate (...

A case control study of "small for date" and premature infants was conducted at 17 hospitals in Tehran between December 1989 and June 1990. The study population consisted of mothers of 347 small for date, 261 premature and 1164 normal infants. Mothers who were less than 18 years old and their height less than 155 cm had a statistically significant RRF. (2.18) for the birth of small for dat...

Background: Successful pregnancy in allopregnant women depends upon the control of graft rejection mechanisms. It has been suggested that some immunosuppressive cytokines contribute to successful pregnancy and transplantation. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-   β) exhibits potent immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties which might prolong graft survival. Recent studies suggest a ...

Disorder in re-methylation process of homocysteine to methionine due to mutation in betaine homocysteine methyltransferase enzyme (BHMT) coding gene, leads to decrease in S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) synthesis which takes part in DNA methylation as a methyl donor. As a result, it can promote hypo-methylation of DNA, chromosome instability, and chromosome missegregation, which in turn is one of t...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Successful embryo implantation is followed by a local pro-inflammatory and Th1 response, subsequently controlled by a Th2 response. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has anti-inflammatory effects and promotes tolerogenic/Th2 responses while favouring embryonic development. We investigated the potential regulatory role of VIP on human trophoblast cells, maternal pro-infl...

Maternal obesity is known to increase the risk of obesity and diabetes in offspring. Though diabetes is a key risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the relationship between maternal obesity and CKD has not been clearly defined. In this study, a mouse model of maternal obesity was employed to determine the impact of maternal obesity on development of diabetic nephropat...