title: Antenatal taurine improves neuronal regeneration in fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction by inhibiting the Rho-ROCK signal pathway.
abstract: The Rho-ROCK signal pathway is an important mediator of inhibitory signals that blocks central nervous cell regeneration. Here, we investigated whether antenatal taurine improved neuronal regeneration in fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) by inhibiting this pathway. Thirty pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, IUGR, and IUGR + antenatal taurine supplementation (taurine group). The mRNA levels of Ras homolog gene A (Rho A), Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase 2 (ROCK2), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected using real-time quantitative PCR. RhoA, ROCK2 and PCNA-positive cells were counted using immunohistochemistry. Antenatal taurine supplementation decreased RhoA and Rock2 mRNA expression, increased PCNA mRNA expression, and significantly decreased RhoA, ROCK2-positive and increased PCNA-positive cell counts in IUGR fetal rat brain tissues (p < 0.05). Thus, antenatal taurine supplementation inhibited the expression of key Rho-ROCK signal molecules and improved IUGR fetal brain development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology and NICU, Bayi Children's Hospital Affiliated to Beijing Military General Hospital, 5 Nanmen Cang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China, Liujingbj@live.cn.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013654:Taurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013654:Taurine; C580818:ROCK2 protein, rat; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein