title: A combined supplementation of vitamin B12and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids across two generations improves nerve growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor levels in the rat hippocampus.
abstract: Vitamin B12and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) are known to influence cognition. This study aims to examine if these nutrients affect the protein levels and gene expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the cortex and hippocampus in the second-generation offspring at 3 mo of age. Wistar rats were fed the following diets for two generations: Control (CON), vitamin B12deficient (VBD), vitamin B12deficient supplemented with n-3 PUFA (VBDO), vitamin B12supplemented (VBS), vitamin B12supplemented with n-3 PUFA (VBSO). The VEGF and NGF gene expression and protein levels in the hippocampus were lower (P⩽0.01) in the VBD group as compared to the CON group while the VBDO group restored the VEGF and NGF gene expression (P⩽0.01). The VBS group showed similar levels of NGF and VEGF to that of the CON group. However, the VBSO group demonstrated higher (P⩽0.05) NGF gene expression and protein levels in the hippocampus and higher cortex NGF protein levels as compared to the CON group. In addition, VEGF (in hippocampus) and NGF (in cortex and hippocampus) protein levels were also higher (P⩽0.05) in the VBSO group as compared to the VBS group. Our results indicate that the combined supplementation of vitamin B12and n-3 PUFA improves NGF and maintains VEGF levels in the brain which may improve neurovascular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rathod
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India.
authors.forename: Amrita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaire
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India.
authors.forename: Anvita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India. Electronic address: srjoshi62@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sadhana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: NGF; VEGF; n-3 PUFA; vitamin B(12)