title: Effects of maternal-melatonin treatment on open-field behaviors and hypertensive phenotype in spontaneously hypertensive rats' (SHR) offspring.
abstract: Effects of maternal-melatonin treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were investigated in their offspring. Pregnant SHR were given drinking water with/without melatonin (20 micrograms melatonin/ml tap water) during pregnancy and the lactation period. Maternal-melatonin treatment did not cause changes in body weights during 7 to 27 weeks. Melatonin administration up to weaning period via mother caused a decrease in systolic blood pressure (BP) during 11 to 27 weeks in their offspring compared with those of control group. Open-field behaviors in the offspring were observed at 24 weeks age. Both the control and treatment groups had ratios of central and peripheral locomotion of 30% and 70%, respectively. The treatment group exhibited less total locomotor activity and rearing than the control group did, whereas more latency was exhibited in the treatment group compared with that of the control group. These findings suggest that maternal-melatonin administration may modify open-field behaviors as well as the hypertensive phenotype in their progeny.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Animal Science, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, University of Ulsan, 388-1 Poongnap-dong, Songpa-ku, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
authors.forename: Choong-Yong
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byeong-Noh
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin