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Vitamin C supplementation improves placental function and alters placental gene expression in smokers.

Scientific reports
January 1, 1970
Lyndsey E Shorey-Kendrick et al. (16 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine whether vitamin C supplementation mitigates the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on placental structure, function, and gene expression.

Results Summary

Vitamin C supplementation in pregnant smokers improved umbilical vein Doppler velocity (Vmax) to levels comparable to nonsmokers and was associated with changes in mRNA expression relevant to vascular and cardiac development.

Population

Pregnant smokers (subset of 55) and pregnant nonsmokers (33) participating in the VCSIP clinical trial.

Effective Dosage

Not specified in the abstract.

Duration

Not specified in the abstract.

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP), driven by nicotine crossing the placenta
decrease
offspring pulmonary function
offspring
lifelong
causes lifelong decreases
#1
vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy
decrease
offspring pulmonary function
offspring
some
prevents some of those changes
#2
vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy
increase
placental function
animal models of prenatal nicotine exposure
-
improves
#3
vitamin C supplementation
decrease
placental structure, function, and gene expression
pregnant human smokers
-
mitigates the effects
#4
Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP)
decrease
umbilical vein Doppler velocity (Vmax)
placebo-treated smokers
-
decreased
#5
vitamin C
increase
umbilical vein Doppler velocity (Vmax)
smokers randomized to vitamin C
-
significantly improved
#6
vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers
increase
genes highly relevant to vascular and cardiac development
pregnant smokers
-
was associated with changes in mRNA expression
#7
vitamin C supplementation in pregnant smokers
increase
offspring health
pregnant smokers
some
to improve some aspects
#8
Abstract

Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP), driven by nicotine crossing the placenta, causes lifelong decreases in offspring pulmonary function and vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy prevents some of those changes. We have also shown in animal models of prenatal nicotine exposure that vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy improves placental function. In this study we examined whether vitamin C supplementation mitigates the effects of MSDP on placental structure, function, and gene expression in pregnant human smokers. Doppler ultrasound was performed in a subset of 55 pregnant smokers participating in the "Vitamin C to Decrease the Effects of Smoking in Pregnancy on Infant Lung Function" (VCSIP) randomized clinical trial (NCT01723696) and in 33 pregnant nonsmokers. Doppler ultrasound measurements showed decreased umbilical vein Doppler velocity (Vmax) in placebo-treated smokers that was significantly improved in smokers randomized to vitamin C, restoring to levels comparable to nonsmokers. RNA-sequencing demonstrated that vitamin C supplementation to pregnant smokers was associated with changes in mRNA expression in genes highly relevant to vascular and cardiac development, suggesting a potential mechanism for vitamin C supplementation in pregnant smokers to improve some aspects of offspring health.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansFemalePregnancyAscorbic AcidDietary SupplementsPlacentaAdultSmokersSmokingGene Expression Regulation
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality90/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations3
Citations/Year3.0
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
Weight Score1.64
Normalized Score0.72
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