It has been suggested that zinc may have a protective role against heart defects during fetal development. We investigated the effects of zinc on the development of fetal cardiac malformations induced by homocysteine. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into one of five groups: control (C), homocysteine (H), homocysteine + zinc (Z), homocysteine + folic acid (F), or homocysteine + zinc + folic acid (ZF) (each n = 8). Homocysteine (8 nmol/day) was administered intraperitoneally in the H, Z, F, and ZF groups on gestation days (GD) 8, 9, and 10. Zinc (30 mg/kg day), folic acid (30 mg/kg day), or both (30 mg/kg day each) were administered intragastrically daily in the Z, F, and ZF groups, respectively, throughout the pregnancy. In each group, two fetuses were removed on GD 13, 15, 17, and 19 and examined for cardiac malformations; maternal copper/zinc-containing-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) activity and metallothionein type I (MT-1) mRNA expression were measured simultaneously. The prevalence of cardiac malformations was significantly higher in group H than in group C, and significantly lower in group Z than in group H at the studied time points. Cu/Zn-SOD activity and MT-1 mRNA levels were significantly lower in group H than in group C, and significantly higher in group Z than in group H. Our data suggest that zinc antagonizes homocysteine-induced teratogenic effects on the fetal heart, possibly via the inhibition of excessive peroxidation.
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