title: Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure reduces plasticity and alters NMDA receptor subunit composition in the dentate gyrus.
abstract: Although it is well documented that heavy consumption of alcohol during pregnancy impairs brain development, it remains controversial whether moderate consumption causes significant damage. Using a limited access, voluntary consumption paradigm, we recently demonstrated that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (MPAE) is associated with dentate gyrus-dependent learning and memory deficits that are manifested in adulthood. Here, we identified a novel mechanism that may underlie this effect of MPAE. We found that MPAE mice exhibit deficits in NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus. Further, using semiquantitative immunoblotting techniques, we found that the levels of GluN2B subunits were decreased in the synaptic membrane, while levels of C2'-containing GluN1 and GluN3A subunits were increased, in the dentate gyrus of MPAE mice. These data suggest that MPAE alters the subunit composition of synaptic NMDARs, leading to impaired NMDAR-dependent LTP in the dentate gyrus.
authors: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors: Megan L
authors: ML
authors: Brady
authors: Marvin R
authors: MR
authors: Diaz
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Iuso
authors: Julie C
authors: JC
authors: Everett
authors: C Fernando
authors: CF
authors: Valenzuela
authors: Kevin K
authors: KK
authors: Caldwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018891:Dentate Gyrus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D000431:Ethanol