Abstract
Redox regulation during metazoan development ensures that coordinated metabolic reprogramming and developmental signaling are orchestrated with high fidelity in the hypoxic embryonic environment. Valproic acid (VPA), an anti-seizure medication, is known to increase markers of oxidation and also increase the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) when taken during pregnancy. It is unknown, however, whether oxidation plays a direct role in failed neural tube closure (NTC). Spatial and temporal fluctuations in total glutathione (GSH) and total cysteine (Cys) redox steady states were seen during a 24 h period of CD-1 mouse organogenesis in untreated conceptuses and following exposure to VPA and the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway inducer, 1,2-dithiole-3-thione (D3T). Glutathione, glutathione disulfide (GSSG), and Cys, cystine (CySS) concentrations, measured in conceptal tissues (embryo/visceral yolk sac) and fluids (yolk sac fluid/amniotic fluid) showed that VPA did not cause extensive and prolonged oxidation during the period of NTC, but instead produced transient periods of oxidation, as assessed by GSH:GSSG redox potentials, which revealed oxidation in all four conceptal compartments at 4, 10, and 14 h, corresponding to the period of heartbeat activation and NTC. Other changes were tissue and time specific. VPA treatment also reduced total FITC-Ab clearance from the medium over 3 h, indicating potential disruption of nutritive amino acid supply. Overall, these results indicated that VPA's ability to affect cellular redox status may be limited to tissue-specific windows of sensitivity during the period of NTC. The safety evaluation of drugs used during pregnancy should consider time and tissue specific redox factors.