Oxidative Stress in Neonatology. A Review

Abstract

Free radicals are highly reactive oxidizing agents containing one or more unpaired electrons. Both in human and veterinary neonathology, it is generally accepted that oxidative stress functions as an important catalysator of neonatal disease. Soon after birth, many sudden physiological and environmental conditions make the newborn vulnerable for the negative effects of oxidative stress, which potentially can impair neonatal vitality. As a clinician, it is important to have in depth knowledge about factors affecting maternal/neonatal oxidative status and the cascades of events that enrol when the neonate is subjected to oxidative stress. This report aims at providing clinicians with an up-to-date review about oxidative stress in neonates across animal species. It will be emphasized which handlings and treatments that are applied during neonatal care or resuscitation can actually impose oxidative stress upon the neonate. Views and opinions about maternal and/or neonatal antioxydative therapy will be shared.

Effects of age and weaning conditions on blood indicators of oxidative status in pigs

“…Indeed, on mammals, the evolution of oxidative products has been mainly explored just after birth or at senescence [1,18]. At birth, neonate moves from uterus to an external environment richer in oxygen leading to oxidative burst [18].…”

“…Indeed, on mammals, the evolution of oxidative products has been mainly explored just after birth or at senescence [1,18]. At birth, neonate moves from uterus to an external environment richer in oxygen leading to oxidative burst [18]. With senescence, oxidative damages caused to macromolecules (lipids, DNA and proteins) increase compared to mature adults, which leads to the loss of cellular functions [1].…”

Oxidative stress markers at birth: Analyses of a neonatal population

“…Newborns, especially if preterm, are particularly prone to the action of free radicals, which is due to various reasons: structural and functional immaturity of organs, increase of tissue mass with aerobic metabolism accompanied by a rapidly growing energy demand, reduced ability to induce efficient homeostatic mechanisms (Cipolla et al, 2011), and lack of antioxidant systems that come to maturity only during the first year of life (Giuffre et al, 2012). There are also other predisposing conditions such as (a) the neonatal relative deficiency of antioxidant systems in plasma and erythrocytes (e.g., low enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and low content of vitamin E and ascorbic acid); (b) increased susceptibility to oxidative stress as indicated by an increase of the following: release of transitional metals such as free iron, production of superoxide radicals, content of fatty acids, and membrane peroxidation; and (c) an increased removal rate of erythrocytes (i.e., increase in senescent antigen production) (Mutinati et al, 2014).…”

Avaliação De Estresse Oxidativo No Plasma De Bovinos Leiteiros Com Mastite

“…As ERs em excesso podem reagir com lipídios, proteínas e ácidos nucléicos ocasionando modificações nas propriedades físicas e químicas destas biomoléculas (7)(8)(9) resultando em mutações, oncogênese e morte celular (10)(11)(12)(13) . Por outro lado, o sistema antioxidante atua neutralizando essas espécies através de enzimas antioxidantes como: a superóxido dismutase (SOD), a glutationa peroxidase (GPx), a catalase (CAT) e a glutationa-Stransferase (GST).…”