Prenatal Exposure to Sodium Arsenite Alters Placental Glucose 1, 3, and 4 Transporters in Balb/c Mice

Biomed Res Int. 2015:2015:175025. doi: 10.1155/2015/175025. Epub 2015 Aug 3.

Abstract

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure induces a decrease in glucose type 4 transporter (GLUT4) expression on the adipocyte membrane, which may be related to premature births and low birth weight infants in women exposed to iAs at reproductive age. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) exposure on GLUT1, GLUT3, and GLUT4 protein expression and on placental morphology. Female Balb/c mice (n = 15) were exposed to 0, 12, and 20 ppm of NaAsO2 in drinking water from 8th to 18th day of gestation. Morphological changes and GLUT1, GLUT3, and GLUT4 expression were evaluated in placentas by immunohistochemical and image analysis and correlated with iAs and arsenical species concentration, which were quantified by atomic absorption spectroscopy. NaAsO2 exposure induced a significant decrease in fetal and placental weight (P < 0.01) and increases in infarctions and vascular congestion. Whereas GLUT1 expression was unchanged in placentas from exposed group, GLUT3 expression was found increased. In contrast, GLUT4 expression was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in placentas from females exposed to 12 ppm. The decrease in placental GLUT4 expression might affect the provision of adequate fetal nutrition and explain the low fetal weight observed in the exposed groups.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / drug effects
  • Adipocytes / pathology
  • Animals
  • Arsenites / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Glucose Transporter Type 1 / biosynthesis*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 1 / genetics
  • Glucose Transporter Type 2 / biosynthesis*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 2 / genetics
  • Glucose Transporter Type 4 / biosynthesis*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 4 / genetics
  • Humans
  • Infant, Low Birth Weight / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Placenta / drug effects
  • Placenta / metabolism
  • Placenta / pathology
  • Pregnancy
  • Premature Birth / chemically induced
  • Premature Birth / genetics
  • Premature Birth / pathology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / chemically induced
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / genetics
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / pathology
  • Sodium Compounds / toxicity*
  • Spectrophotometry, Atomic

Substances

  • Arsenites
  • Glucose Transporter Type 1
  • Glucose Transporter Type 2
  • Glucose Transporter Type 4
  • Slc2a2 protein, mouse
  • Sodium Compounds
  • sodium arsenite
  • Glucose