title: Protective effect of early prenatal stress on the induction of asthma in adult mice: Sex-specific differences.
abstract: Adversities faced during the prenatal period can be related to the onset of diseases in adulthood. However, little is known about the effects on the respiratory system. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of prenatal stress in two different time-points during pregnancy on pulmonary function and on the inflammatory profile of mice exposed to an asthma model. Male and female BALB/c mice were divided into 3 groups: control (CON), prenatal stress from the second week of pregnancy (PNS1) and prenatal stress on the last week of pregnancy (PNS2). Both PNS1 and PNS2 pregnant females were submitted to restraint stress. As adults, fear/anxiety behaviors were assessed, and animals were subjected to an asthma model induced by ovalbumin. Pulmonary function, inflammatory parameters in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and histology were evaluated. There was a significant decrease in the number of entries and time spent in the central quadrant on the open field test for the PNS1 animals. Females (PNS1) showed improved pulmonary function (airway resistance, tissue damping and pulmonary elastance), significant increase in the percentage of neutrophils and lymphocytes and a decrease in eosinophils when compared to controls. There was a significant decrease in inflammatory cytokines in BAL of both males (IL-5 and IL-13) and females (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) from PNS1 and PNS2 when compared to the CON group. Prenatal stress starting from the beginning of pregnancy reduces the impact of asthma development in adult female mice, showing an improved pulmonary function and a lower inflammatory response in the lungs.
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Mauro Henrique Moraes
authors: MH
authors: Vargas
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Natália Evangelista
authors: NE
authors: Campos
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Rodrigo Godinho
authors: RG
authors: de Souza
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Aline Andrea
authors: AA
authors: da Cunha
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Nailê Karine
authors: NK
authors: Nuñez
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Paulo Márcio
authors: PM
authors: Pitrez
authors: Laboratory of Pediatric Respirology, Infant Center, Institute of Biomedical Research (IPB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: mdonadio@pucrs.br.
authors: Márcio Vinícius Fagundes
authors: MV
authors: Donadio
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001835:Body Weight; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage / Q000379:methods; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010047:Ovalbumin; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Asthma; Lung function; Prenatal stress