Astrocytic basic fibroblast growth factor expression in dopaminergic regions after perinatal anoxia.
BACKGROUND
Perinatal anoxia leads to persistent behavioral and neurochemical alterations suggestive of sensitized dopaminergic function. Because astrocytic basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) activity in the midbrain dopaminergic cell body region is required for the development of enduring changes in dopaminergic function induced by stimulant drugs, we investigated the effects of intrauterine anoxia on astrocytic bFGF expression in dopaminergic regions at 2 weeks of age and after a stress manipulation in adults.


METHODS
We examined bFGF immunoreactivity in dopaminergic regions of young and adult rats born by cesarean section, cesarean section + 15 min of intrauterine anoxia, or vaginally. bFGF immunoreactivity was also assessed before and after tail-pinch stress in adult animals exposed to the same perinatal interventions.


RESULTS
Perinatal anoxia produced persistent decreases in basal bFGF immunoreactivity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), but enhanced the effect of stress on VTA bFGF immunoreactivity.


CONCLUSIONS
Perinatal anoxia has enduring effects on VTA bFGF immunoreactivity and influences adult neuroadaptations to stress. The mechanisms whereby perinatal anoxia alters dopaminergic function may be similar to those responsible for the development of sensitization to stimulant drugs and may involve bFGF.
Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Cecilia
C
Flores
Jane
J
Stewart
Natalina
N
Salmaso
Ying
Y
Zhang
Patricia
P
Boksa
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000473:pathology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000473:pathology
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D004298:Dopamine