title: Antenatal taurine supplementation improves cerebral neurogenesis in fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction through the PKA-CREB signal pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study seeks to explore whether antenatal supplement of taurine may improve the brain development of fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) via the protein kinase A-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element protein (PKA-CREB) pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen pregnant rats were randomly divided into control group, IUGR model, and IUGR with antenatal taurine supplement group. Brain tissues were obtained immediately after rats were born. PKA-CREB signal pathway activity and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA and protein levels were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry stains, whereas immunoreactive cells of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected by immunohistochemistry stains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that: (1) In the IUGR group, a greater number of PCNA and NSE immunoreactive cells were found in brain tissues compared with controls, and prenatal taurine supplementation led to a further increase. (2) Expression of PKA, CREB, and GDNF were increased in mRNA and protein levels due to taurine supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antenatal taurine supplementation shows effects of promotion of cell proliferation and activation of neurotrophic factors on fetal rat brain in a model of IUGR by activating the PKA-CREB signal pathway, increasing expression of neurotrophic factors, and promoting cell proliferation to counteract neuron loss caused by IUGR.
authors: General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing 100700, China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Xiao-Feng
authors: XF
authors: Wang
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Na
authors: N
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013654:Taurine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508137:Creb1 protein, rat; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D013654:Taurine; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases