Prenatal exposure to methylazoxymethanol acetate in the rat alters neurotrophin levels and behavior: considerations for neurodevelopmental diseases.
We did a single injection of methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) in pregnant rats on gestational day (GD) 11 or 12 to investigate the long-lasting effects of early entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampus maldevelopment on behavior, brain nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, and the neurotrophin receptor p75 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity. Adult animals treated with MAM had compromised EC development and showed changes in locomotion and displacement activities. In addition, rats treated on GD 12 had increased concentration of NGF and BDNF in the EC and hippocampus if compared to control rats. Prenatal MAM administration did not affect significantly p75 and ChAT distribution in the EC and septum. Results are discussed in reference to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of psychiatric disorders.
Fiore
M
M
Institute of Neurobiology, CNR, viale Marx, 43/15, 00137, Rome, Italy.
Korf
J
J
Angelucci
F
F
Talamini
L
L
Aloe
L
L
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008746:Methylazoxymethanol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013723:Teratogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C504651:Psip1 protein, rat; D013723:Teratogens; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008746:Methylazoxymethanol Acetate; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase