Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40000856›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2025

Antenatal Vitamin C differentially affects lung development in normally grown and growth restricted sheep.

Erin V McGillick, Sandra Orgeig, Beth J Allison, Kirsty L Brain, Youguo Niu, Nozomi Itani, Katie L Skeffington, Andrew D Kane, Emilio A Herrera, Dino A Giussani and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Erin V McGillickEarly Origins of Adult Health Research Group, Health and Biomedical Innovation, Adelaide, Australia. Erin.McGillick@unisa.edu.au.
Sandra OrgeigUniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Beth J AllisonDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Kirsty L BrainDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Youguo NiuDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Nozomi ItaniDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Katie L SkeffingtonDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Andrew D KaneDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Emilio A HerreraPrograma de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Dino A GiussaniDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Janna L MorrisonEarly Origins of Adult Health Research Group, Health and Biomedical Innovation, Adelaide, Australia. Janna.Morrison@unisa.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic hypoxemia is a common cause of fetal growth restriction and can have significant effects on the developing fetal lung. Maternal antioxidant treatment in hypoxic pregnancy protects against offspring cardiovascular dysfunction. The effects of antenatal antioxidants on lung development in the chronically hypoxic growth restricted fetus is unknown.

methodsWe investigated the effect of maternal daily Vitamin C (200 mg/kg i.v. vs. Saline) for a month in late gestation on molecular markers regulating lung maturation between normoxic normally grown and hypoxic growth-restricted fetal sheep. Chronic fetal hypoxia and fetal growth restriction were induced by exposure to maternal chronic hypoxia (10% O

resultsThe data show a differential effect of antenatal Vitamin C treatment on regulation of genes involved in surfactant maturation, sodium movement and hypoxia signaling. Limited responsiveness to antenatal Vitamin C exposure in the lung of the hypoxic fetus, compared to responsiveness to antenatal Vitamin C in the normoxic fetus, suggests a maximal upregulation of the molecular signaling pathways in response to the chronic hypoxic insult alone.

conclusionWe provide molecular insight into the heterogeneity of antenatal Vitamin C treatment on development of the normoxic and growth restricted hypoxic fetal lung. IMPACT: The effect of maternal Vitamin C on molecular markers of lung maturation between normoxic normally grown and hypoxic growth restricted fetal sheep was unknown. We show a differential effect of Vitamin C with a greater increase in molecular markers of lung maturation in normoxic compared with hypoxic fetuses. Limited responsiveness in the hypoxic fetal lung is likely due to maximal upregulation by the hypoxic insult alone, thus added exposure to Vitamin C is unable to upregulate the system further. The work highlights the need to understand differential effects of antenatal interventions in healthy and complicated pregnancy, prior to clinical translation.

Indexed as

AntioxidantsAscorbic AcidFetal Growth RetardationLungAnimalsFemaleFetal HypoxiaGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalHypoxiaPregnancySheepSignal TransductionAntioxidantsAscorbic Acid

Identifiers

PMID40000856
PMCPMC12411238

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.