title: Prenatal viral infection causes alterations in nNOS expression in developing mouse brains.
abstract: Epidemiological evidence points to prenatal viral infection being responsible for some forms of schizophrenia and autism. We hypothesized that prenatal human influenza viral infection in day 9 pregnant mice may cause changes in the levels of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), an important molecule involved in synaptogenesis and excitotoxicity, in neonatal brains. Brains from 35- and 56-day-old mice were prepared for SDS-gel electrophoresis and Western blotting using polyclonal anti nNOS antibody. Quantification of nNOS showed time and region-dependent changes in the levels of nNOS protein. Mean rostral brain area value from prenatally infected animals showed a significant (p=0.067) increase of 147% in nNOS levels at 35 days postnatally, with an eventual 29% decrease on day 56. Middle and caudal brain areas showed reductions in nNOS in experimental mice at 35 and 56 days, with a significant 27% decrease in nNOS in the middle segment of day 56 brains (p=0.016). Significant interactions were found between group membership and brain area (Wilks lambda=0.440, F(2.9)=5.72, p=0.025); there was also a significant interaction between brain area, group and age (Wilks lambda=0.437, F(2.9)=5.79, p=0.024). These results provide further support for the notion that prenatal viral infection affects brain development adversely via the pathological involvement of nNOS expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Fatemi
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cuadra
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: El-Fakahany
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sidwell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thuras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000821:virology; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000821:virology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496321:Nos1 protein, mouse