title: Effects of prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure on reproductive activities and serum concentrations of pituitary-gonadal hormones in mice offspring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal infection during pregnancy is a risk factor for some behavioral problems with neurodevelopmental origin. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of exposure of pregnant mice to the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on sexual behaviour and serum level of pituitary-gonadal hormones of offspring in adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this Expremental study, pregnant NMRI mice (n=7/group) were treated with intra-peritoneal administration of LPS (1, 5 and 10 µg/kg) at day 10 of gestation. Induction of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured in maternal serum 2 hours following the maternal LPS challenge. Behavior in the adult male offspring reproductive activity was investigated using receptive female mice. Concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in adult offspring serum were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method (at postnatal day 60, n=10/group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-way ANOVA showed that LPS administration induces a significant increase in TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels of maternal serum. Prenatal LPS exposure reduces sexual behavior and serum concentration of LH and testosterone in adult male offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall results suggest that prenatal exposure to LPS increases pro- inflammatory cytokine levels, affects development of neuroendocrine systems and results in the inhibition of reproductive behaviors and reactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in adult male offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Solati
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hajikhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rashidieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahshid Fatipour
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Jalilian
keywords: Lipopolysaccharides; Mice; Prenatal; Reproductive Activity; Testostrone