Effects of vitamin E on reproductive protection in pregnant mice infected with pseudorabies virus (PRV) via regulating expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cytokine balance

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2010;56(6):353-63. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.56.353.

Abstract

Vitamin E supplement and pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection have a reciprocal role in influencing the maternal immune response, a key determinant of the success or failure of pregnancy. However, it remains unknown whether vitamin E supplement provides protection against PRV-induced failure of pregnancy. This study was therefore conducted to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin E level (0, 75, 375, 750 and 1,500 mg/kg) on the reproduction performance, immunity and expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) of PRV-challenged mice. The mortality and abortion rate of PRV-challenged mice decreased with the increase in vitamin E consumption. Overall, PBS-injected mice had a higher live embryo number and live litter size than PRV-challenged mice. Both live embryo number and live litter size of PRV-challenged mice increased with increasing vitamin E levels. Vitamin E supplement resulted in decreased concentration of serum IL-2 and IFN-γ, but increased concentration of serum IL-10. The concentration of serum IgG, IgA and IgM increased with increasing vitamin E levels. In the uterine and embryo mRNA abundance of TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9 was higher in PRV-challenged mice than that in PBS-injected mice fed on the same dosage of vitamin E. The mRNA abundance of embryonic TLR3, TLR7 and TLR9 in PRV-challenged mice decreased with increasing vitamin E levels. Collectively, vitamin E supplement may improve reproductive performance of PRV-challenged mice by attenuating PRV-induced negative effects on the cytokine profile, immunoglobulin synthesis and TLR expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / immunology
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / metabolism
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / microbiology
  • Abortion, Spontaneous / prevention & control*
  • Animals
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Embryo Loss
  • Embryo, Mammalian / drug effects*
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism
  • Female
  • Herpesvirus 1, Suid*
  • Immunoglobulins / blood
  • Litter Size / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Pregnancy
  • Pseudorabies / drug therapy*
  • Pseudorabies / immunology
  • Pseudorabies / mortality
  • Pseudorabies / virology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptors / genetics
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism*
  • Vitamin E / pharmacology
  • Vitamin E / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamins / pharmacology
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Immunoglobulins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin E