The Role of Cysteine through Oxido-Inflammatory Pathways / Improved Pregnancy Outcome During Sleep Deprivation

Sleep deprivation during pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes such as implantation failure and fetal growth restriction, effects attributed to oxidative stress, inflammation, and hormonal imbalance. This study was designed to examine whether D-ribose-L-cysteine (DRLC), a precursor of glutathione, could improve pregnancy outcomes during gestational sleep deprivation. Sixty (60) pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=15 rats/group), namely control, paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) only, PSD+DRLC, and DRLC groups. Pregnant rats underwent paradoxical sleep deprivation from day 1 of pregnancy. Animals in each group were then sacrificed on gestation days 8 and 19 to assess implantation and fetal development, while the remaining rats were allowed to term to assess pregnancy outcome. Euthanasia was achieved via cervical dislocation. Implantation sites (ISs) and fetal development, maternal antioxidant status, malondialdehyde, inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, caspase-3), and hormone levels (progesterone, estradiol, corticosterone, melatonin) were assessed. DRLC administration significantly prevented a reduction in ISs and improved fetal survival when compared to the PSD-only group. DRLC significantly boosted maternal antioxidant activities, reduced malondialdehyde levels and corticosterone, improved inflammatory cytokines, progesterone, estradiol, and melatonin levels. These findings suggest that DRLC’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions can mitigate the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on pregnancy. Cysteine supplementation may thus be a promising strategy to improve pregnancy outcomes under stressful conditions like sleep loss.