Nitric oxide and reactive species are modulated in the polyphenol-induced ductus arteriosus constriction in pregnant sheep.

Because we have previously demonstrated the relation between polyphenol-rich foods (PRF) consumption and ductus arteriosus constriction, in this work, pregnant sheep were submitted to oral PRF intake for 14 days to understand how this process occurs. Fetal Doppler echocardiography, oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers and total polyphenol excretion were evaluated. The high polyphenol intake induced ductus arteriosus constriction by 71.6% increase in systolic (P = 0.001) and 57.8% in diastolic velocities (P = 0.002), and 18.9% decrease in pulsatility index (P = 0.033), along with 1.7-fold increase in total polyphenol excretion, 2.3-fold decrease in inflammatory mediator nitric oxide and following redox status changes (mean ± standard deviation): higher protein carbonyls (1.09 ± 0.09 and 1.49 ± 0.31), catalase (0.69 ± 0.39 and 1.44 ± 0.33) and glutathione peroxidase (37.23 ± 11.19 and 62.96 ± 15.03) in addition to lower lipid damage (17.22 ± 2.05 and 12.53 ± 2.11) and nonprotein thiols (0.11 ± 0.04 and 0.04 ± 0.01) found before and after treatment, respectively. Ductal parameters correlated to NOx , catalase, glutathione peroxidase and protein carbonyl. Our results highlight the need to reduce maternal PRF intake in late pregnancy to prevent fetal duct constriction through NO-mediated vasoconstrictive action of polyphenols.