title: Prenatal activation of maternal TLR3 receptors by viral-mimetic poly(I:C) modifies GluN2B expression in embryos and sonic hedgehog in offspring in the absence of kynurenine pathway activation.
abstract: Activation of the immune system during pregnancy is believed to lead to psychiatric and neurological disorders in the offspring, but the molecular changes responsible are unknown. Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) is a viral-mimetic double-stranded RNA complex which activates Toll-Like-Receptor-3 and can activate the metabolism of tryptophan through the oxidative kynurenine pathway to compounds that modulate activity of glutamate receptors. The aim was to determine whether prenatal administration of poly(I:C) affects the expression of neurodevelopmental proteins in the offspring and whether such effects were mediated via the kynurenine pathway. Pregnant rats were treated with poly(I:C) during late gestation and the offspring were allowed to develop to postnatal day 21 (P21). Immunoblotting of the brains at P21 showed decreased expression of sonic hedgehog, a key protein in dopaminergic neuronal maturation. Expression of α-synuclein was decreased, while tyrosine hydroxylase was increased. Disrupted in Schizophrenia-1 (DISC-1) and 5-HT2C receptor levels were unaffected, as were the dependence receptors Unc5H1, Unc5H3 and Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC), the inflammation-related transcription factor NFkB and the inducible oxidative enzyme cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2). An examination of embryo brains 5 h after maternal poly(I:C) showed increased expression of GluN2B, with reduced doublecortin and DCC but no change in NFkB. Despite altered protein expression, there were no changes in the kynurenine pathway. The results show that maternal exposure to poly(I:C) alters the expression of proteins in the embryos and offspring which may affect the development of dopaminergic function. The oxidation of tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway is not involved in these effects.
authors: Institute for Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, West Medical Building , Glasgow , United Kingdom and.
authors: Omari S
authors: OS
authors: Khalil
authors: Caroline M
authors: CM
authors: Forrest
authors: Mazura
authors: M
authors: Pisar
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Smith
authors: L Gail
authors: LG
authors: Darlington
authors: Trevor W
authors: TW
authors: Stone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000075389:DCC Receptor; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000075389:DCC Receptor; C501912:Dcc protein, rat; C000714848:Dcx protein, rat; C498795:Disc1 protein, rat; D000089662:Doublecortin Protein; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D044405:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C546888:Shh protein, rat; C530472:TLR3 protein, rat; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C487622:Unc5h3 protein, rat; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D007737:Kynurenine; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011070:Poly I-C