Sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) is an investigational drug that shows promise in the treatment of acquired and congenital mitochondrial diseases, including myocardial ischemia and failure. DCA increases glucose utilization and decreases lactate production, and so may also have clinical utility in reducing lactic acidosis during labor.In the current study we test the ability of DCA to cross the placenta and be measured in fetal blood following intravenous administration to pregnant ewes during late gestation and labor. Sustained administration of DCA to the mother over 72h achieved pharmacologically active levels of DCA in the fetus and decreased fetal plasma lactate concentrations. Multi-compartmental pharmacokinetics modeling indicated drug metabolism in the fetal and maternal compartments is best described by the DCA inhibiting lactate production in both compartments, consistent with our finding that the hepatic expression of the DCA-metabolizing enzyme GSTZ1 was decreased in the ewes and their fetuses exposed to the drug. We provide the first evidence that DCA can cross the placental compartment to enter the fetal circulation, inhibit its own hepatic metabolism in the fetus, leading to increased DCA concentrations and decreased fetal plasma lactate concentrations during its parenteral administration to the mother.
Significance statementThis study was the first to administer sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) to pregnant animals (sheep). It showed that DCA administered to the mother can cross the placental barrier and achieve concentrations in fetus sufficient to decrease fetal lactate concentrations. Consistent with findings reported in other species, DCA-mediated This article has not been copyedited and formatted. The final version may differ from this version.
