Prenatal lipopolysaccharide reduces social behavior in male offspring.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the relationship between maternal sickness behavior during pregnancy and offspring development and behavior.


METHODS
Pregnant Wistar rats were administered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 microg/kg, i.p.) on gestation day (GD) 9.5. Dams' sickness behavior was analyzed, and at birth, offspring number and weight were evaluated. Male offspring was evaluated through physical development, play behavior, adult social interaction, plus maze studies and morphological analysis of the brain.


RESULTS
Results, with respect to the control group, showed that: (1) LPS decreased general activity, food intake, and weight gain in dams, but no pyrexia was observed following treatment; (2) LPS reduced litter size, but no alterations in physical development were observed; (3) LPS reduced play behavior parameters in baby rats; (4) LPS decreased adult social interaction; (5) no alterations were observed between groups on plus maze studies; (6) no differences were observed between groups on morphological analyses of the brain.


CONCLUSIONS
These data reveal that LPS administered on GD 9.5 impaired male offspring's social behavior in infancy and adulthood. These results may be related to an alteration in motivational states or/and increased anxiety.
Kirsten
Thiago B
TB
Neuroimmunomodulation Research Group, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Taricano
Marina
M
Maiorka
Paulo C
PC
Palermo-Neto
João
J
Bernardi
Maria M
MM
D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012919:Social Behavior
D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides