The aim of this study was to test the effects of vitamin E on fetal lung growth in rats with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) was induced in rat fetuses by maternal administration of 100 mg nitrofen by gastric gavage on day 9.5 of gestation. Vitamin E was provided at days 16-20 of gestation, at 30 IU/day. Cesarean section was performed at day 21 of gestation. Immunohistochemistry was performed using anti-surfactant protein A (SP-A) and anti-SP-B polyclonal antibodies. RT-PCR evaluated SP-A and SP-B mRNA expressions. The lung weight/body weight ratio in rats with CDH was lower than the control (p<0.01). The number of type II pneumocytes positive for SP-A in untreated CDH rats (n=20) was lower than the control (n=20). The relative amounts of SP-A and SP-B were significantly higher in vitamin Etreated CDH rats (n=20) than untreated CDH rats (p<0.05). Our results suggest that antenatal vitamin E treatment increases the production of surfactant proteins in hypoplastic lung of rats with the CDH
