| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000)
Fiscal Year 2003: ¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
Fiscal Year 2002: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Folate is essential for DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Specially, the folate deficiency of the maternal body effects on the health of progeny during pregnancy and lactation, that DNA synthesis is activated. It is expected that folate deficiency induce the inhibition of cell proliferation, and result in cell death (apoptosis). In this study, it was examined apoptosis after folate deficiency in rats of the growth, by measuring the activity of caspase-3, which is specifically activated in apoptosis. Caspase-3 activities in bone narrow were significantly higher than the activities of corresponding control rats at the 4, 6 and 8 weeks after folate deficiency. Furthermore, positive signals for apoptosis by immuno-histochemical method (TUNEL method) were detected in bone marrow of folate-deficient rats. These results were shown that the increase of caspase-3 activity occurred in bone marrow during folate deficiency, and was followed by inducing apoptosis.
Secondly, it was examined that the effect of folate intake during pregnancy and lactation in rats on the health of progeny. The pregnant rats received folate-deficient diet, or low-folate diet, or control diet during pregnancy and lactation, In folate-deficient rats, the survival of progeny was only 30%, and the body weight gain was lower than the low-folate and control rats, The folate contents in liver of progeny were influenced by the folate intake of maternal body. It was followed that the increases of caspase-3 activity in liver, spleen and bone marrow were appeared, and resulted in apoptosis. Moreover, the increases of homocysteine concentration in liver and plasma, and TBARS in liver were observed in progeny, and they expected the promotion of oxidant stress, Therefore, these results were shown that the decrease of folate intake during pregnancy and lactation in rats largely damaged the health of progeny, and that the folate intake during pregnancy was important to the health promotion of progeny.
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