title: Early post-natal iron administration induces astroglial response in the brain of adult and aged rats.
abstract: This study was aimed to investigate neuropathological changes in adult and aged rats subjected to supplementary iron administration in a critical postnatal period to study the contribution of environmental risk factors to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Ten rats received a single daily oral administration of iron (10 mg/kg) between 12th and 14th post-natal days; nine rats received vehicle (sorbitol 5% in water) in the same period. Five iron-treated and three sorbitol-treated rats were killed at the age of 3 months while five iron-treated and six sorbitol-treated rats were killed at age of 24 months and their brains processed for immunohistochemistry. Increased astrocytosis, revealed by densitometry of GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes, was found in aged (24 months) iron-treated rats in the substantia nigra and striatum and in the hippocampus of adult (3 months) iron-treated rats when compared to age-matching controls. Decreased densitometry of neurons, revealed by neuronal nucleus immunohistochemistry, was found in aged (24 months) iron-treated rats in substantia nigra and striatum when compared to age-matching controls. These findings suggest that transient dietary iron supplementation during the neonatal period is associated to cellular imprinting in the brain later in life.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University, Porto Alegre, RS, 90619-900, Brazil. llfernandez@plugin.com.br
authors.forename: Liana Lisboa
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Maria Noêmia Martins
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scalco
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vedana
authors.forename: Clívia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Arlete
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbig
authors.forename: Mônica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007501:Iron; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase