Oxidative damage present in obese/overweight mothers may lead to further oxidative stress conditions or inflammation in maternal and cord blood samples. Thirty-four pregnant women/newborn pairs were included in this study to assess the presence of oxidative stress biomarkers and their relationship with serum cytokine concentrations. Oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes were compared between the mother/offspring pairs. The presence of 27 cytokines was measured in maternal and cord blood samples. Analyses were initially performed between all mothers and newborns and later between normal weight and mothers with overweight and obesity, and diabetic/non-diabetic women. Significant differences were found in biomarker concentrations between mothers and newborns. Additionally, superoxide-dismutase activity was higher in pre-pregnancy overweight mothers compared to those with normal weight. Activity for this enzyme was higher in neonates born from mothers with normal pregestational weight compared with their mothers. Nitrites in overweight/obese mothers were statistically lower than in their offspring. Maternal free fatty acids, nitrites, carbonylated proteins, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase predicted maternal serum concentrations of IL-4, IL-13, IP-10 and MIP-1β. Arginase activity in maternal plasma was related to decreased concentrations of IL-4 and IL-1β in cord arterial blood. Increased maternal malondialdehyde plasma was associated with higher levels of IL-6 and IL-7 in the offspring. Oxidative stress biomarkers differ between mothers and offspring and can predict maternal and newborn cytokine concentrations, indicating a potential role for oxidative stress in foetal metabolic and immunologic programming. Moreover, maternal obesity and diabetes may affect maternal microenvironments, and oxidative stress related to these can have an impact on the placenta and foetal growth.

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption during gestation may lead to increased oxidative stress (OS) and could affect pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the association of UPF consumption during pregnancy with circulating levels of OS markers. Diet was assessed (average of three assessments) in 119 pregnant women enrolled in the OBESO perinatal cohort (Mexico), obtaining quantitative data and the percentage of energy that UPFs (NOVA) contributed to the total diet. Sociodemographic, clinical (pregestational body-mass index and gestational weight gain) and lifestyle data were collected. Maternal circulating levels of OS markers (malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonylation (PC), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) were determined at the third trimester of pregnancy. Adjusted linear regression models were performed to analyze the association between UPFs and OS markers. UPFs represented 27.99% of the total energy intake. Women with a lower UPF consumption (<75 percentile°) presented a higher intake of fiber, ω-3, ω-6, and a lower ω-6/3 ratio. Linear regression models showed that UPFs were inversely associated with TAC and MDA. Fiber intake was associated with PC. UPF intake during pregnancy may result in an increase in oxidative stress. When providing nutrition care, limiting or avoiding UPFs may be an intervention strategy that could promote a better antioxidant capacity in the body.

Background/Objectives: Insulin resistance during pregnancy is a key factor underlying gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and other adverse perinatal outcomes (APOs). While traditional markers, such as HOMA-IR, are used to evaluate insulin resistance, they may be inaccessible in resource-limited settings. The triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index has emerged as a practical alternative. This study aimed to assess whether or not a TyG index > 8.6 during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of APOs, including GDM, preeclampsia, and other maternal and neonatal complications. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 333 pregnant women in Mexico City, divided into two groups: Group 1 (TyG index > 8.6, n = 153) and Group 2 (TyG index ≤ 8.6, n = 180). Primary outcomes included gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preeclampsia, preterm birth, cesarean section, and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the adjusted relative risk (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for maternal age, pregestational weight, and body mass index (BMI). Results: Women with a TyG index > 8.6 had a significantly higher pregestational weight and BMI than those with a TyG index ≤ 8.6. Group 1 demonstrated a higher risk of GDM (RR 2.05; 95% CI: 1.23–3.41) and preeclampsia (RR 2.15; 95% CI: 1.10–4.21). After adjusting for maternal age, pregestational weight, and BMI, these associations remained significant: GDM (aRR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.0–2.5) and preeclampsia (aRR 2.18; 95% CI: 1.1–5.0). No significant associations were found between an elevated TyG index and other APOs, including LGA, SGA, preterm birth, or cesarean delivery. Conclusions: A first-trimester TyG index > 8.6 is significantly associated with an increased risk of GDM and preeclampsia, highlighting its potential as a predictive marker for adverse perinatal outcomes. These findings underscore the utility of the TyG index as a practical, cost-effective tool for early risk stratification, particularly in resource-limited settings. Further multi-center research is needed to validate these results and refine population-specific thresholds.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by a progressive and irreversible decline in lung function and is caused primarily by chronic exposure to tobacco and to wood smoke. It is linked to oxidative stress and to an up-regulation of airway arginases and is also associated with alterations in platelets and erythrocytes. In the present study, arginase activity was studied in platelets and erythrocytes of 2 groups of COPD patients: 31 tobacco ex-smokers and 27 patients who had been exposed to wood smoke. A total of 15 healthy controls were also included. Methods: Plasma, platelets, and erythrocytes were obtained from the blood samples. Levels of the oxidative stress biomarkers, carbonyls and malondialdehyde, were measured in the plasma, and arginase activity was quantified in platelets and erythrocytes. Results: In both groups of COPD patients, an increase in the oxidative stress biomarkers was found. Platelet arginase activity in both COPD groups was 2-fold higher than that in the control group. In the erythrocytes, the arginase activity increased 1.7-fold over the control only in the wood smoke-induced COPD group. Discussion and Conclusions: These results suggest that the increase in arginase activity in platelets and erythrocytes participates in the alteration in nitric oxide metabolism in COPD patients and that there may be some differences between the tobacco smoke- and wood smoke-induced COPD.

During Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) progression, the intracellular antioxidant defence in RBCs must preserve the integrity of the plasmalemma through NADPH+ generation to obtain a sufficient number of reduced non-protein SH-groups. Here, we studied the activities of enzymes in RBCs that are related to glutathione metabolism under conditions of increasing oxidative stress, which are associated with COPD progression, by increasing cellular damage in vitro with PM2.5, a ROS generator. The study included 43 patients, who were separated according to their GOLD classification into moderate and severe groups, along with 11 healthy volunteers (HV). Blood samples were analysed for G6PD, GAPDH, GPx, and GR. The results showed significant decreases in the oxidation of the G6PD, GR and GPx proteins, resulting in decreased enzymatic activity. By contrast, an increase (p<0.05) in GAPDH was observed, suggesting a pool of ATP on the membrane. However, it is evident that RBCs are damaged during the progression of COPD, although their integrity is preserved, and they retain limited function, thus allowing patient survival without haemolysis.