EFFECT OF MATERNAL EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET -A DURING EARLY GESTATION ON NEONATAL HEPATIC IMMUNE FUNCTION IN WISTAR RAT

This study investigated the effect of maternal exposure to Ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation during early gestation on neonatal hepatic immune function in Wistar rats. A total of ten pregnant Wistar rats were randomly assigned into two groups: Control (unexposed) and Early Exposure (exposed to UVA from gestational day 1 to 7). After parturition, liver tissues and blood samples were collected from the neonatal offspring on postnatal day 10 (PND 10). Parameters assessed included liver weight, birth and PND 10 body weights, hepatic protein markers (albumin, globulin, total protein), antioxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione peroxidase), and liver histology using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results showed a statistically significant reduction in liver weight in the early exposure group compared to the control, although birth and PND 10 body weights did not differ significantly. Biochemical analyses revealed decreased levels of albumin, globulin, and total protein in the UVA-exposed group, suggesting impaired liver synthetic function. Antioxidant markers catalase and glutathione peroxidase were also significantly reduced, indicating oxidative stress. Histological examination revealed distorted hepatic architecture, reduced sinusoidal spaces, cytoplasmic vacuolations, and mild inflammatory infiltration in the livers of UVAexposed neonates, whereas the control group showed normal histological features. These findings suggest that maternal UVA exposure during early gestation negatively impacts neonatal liver development, suppresses hepatic immune function, and induces oxidative damage. The results emphasize the vulnerability of fetal organs to environmental stressors during critical windows of gestation and highlight the need for maternal protection from non-ionizing radiation exposure during pregnancy.