title: Neuroendocrine changes in adult female rats prenatally exposed to phenytoin.
abstract: Neuroendocrine changes in fetal hydantoin syndrome have not been described yet. This study was aimed to verify the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to phenytoin influences the stress response of adult female offspring in an animal model. To study possible development of depression like state, hedonic behavior and long-term changes in neuropeptide gene expression in the hypothalamus were investigated. Treatment consisted of per os administration of 150 mg/kg of phenytoin or water daily, from day 7-18 of gestation. Adult female offspring (6 animals per group) were acutely stressed by 1 min handling. Blood was collected in conscious rats via tail artery cannulas before, 1, 15 and 30 min after the handling. Exposure to phenytoin in uterus resulted in increased catecholamine and corticosterone concentrations in response to a mild stressor of 1 min handling in adult offspring. The gestational treatment used in this study did not induce a depression like state nor long-term changes in neuropeptide gene expression in the adult offspring. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to phenytoin treatment enhanced the stress response of adult female offspring. Possible new component of fetal hydantoin syndrome is the increase in catecholamine release in response to a mild stressor in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacological Neuroendocrinology, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlarska 3, Bratislava, 83306, Slovakia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makatsori
authors.forename: Dubovicky
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Michal
authors.forename: Ujhazy
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Eduard
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bakos
authors.forename: Bakos
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jezova
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000633:toxicity*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010121:Oxytocin; D010672:Phenytoin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine