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Kemp ET, Zandberg L, Harvey BH, Smuts CM, Baumgartner J. Iron and n-3 fatty acid depletion, alone and in combination, during early development provoke neurochemical changes, anhedonia, anxiety and social dysfunction in rats. Nutr Neurosci 2024; 27:698-714. [PMID: 37585720 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2023.2245615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: Both iron and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FA) play important roles in the development and functioning of the brain. We investigated the effects of n-3 FA and iron deficiencies, alone and in combination, during early development on behaviour and brain monoamines in rats. Methods: Using a 2-factorial design, female Wistar rats were randomly allocated to one of four diet groups: Control, n-3 FA deficient (n-3 FAD), iron deficient (ID), or n-3 FAD + ID. Females received these diets throughout mating, pregnancy and lactation. Offspring (n = 24/group; male:female = 1:1) continued on the same diet until post-natal day 42-45, and underwent a sucrose preference test (SPT), novel object recognition test, elevated plus maze (EPM) and social interaction test (SIT). Results: ID offspring consumed less sucrose in the SPT and spent more time in closed arms and less time in open arms of the EPM than non-ID offspring. In female offspring only, ID and n-3 FAD reduced time approaching and together in the SIT, with an additive effect of ID and n-3 FAD for even less time approaching and spent together in the n-3 FAD + ID group compared to controls. ID offspring had higher striatal dopamine and norepinephrine and lower frontal cortex dopamine concentrations. N-3 FAD and ID affected frontal cortex serotonin concentrations in a sex-specific manner. Conclusions: Our results suggest that ID and n-3 FAD during early development provoke anhedonia, anxiety and social dysfunction in rats, with potential additive and attenuating effects when combined. These effects may in part be attributed to disturbances in brain neurochemistry and may be sex-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erna T Kemp
- Center of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Lizelle Zandberg
- Center of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Brian H Harvey
- School of Pharmacy and Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Cornelius M Smuts
- Center of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Jeannine Baumgartner
- Center of Excellence for Nutrition, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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Faruk S, Sanusi KO, Ibrahim KG, Abubakar B, Malami I, Bello MB, Abubakar MB, Abbas AY, Imam MU. Age and sex-based impacts of maternal iron deficiency on offspring's cognitive function and anemia: A systematic review. Eur J Clin Nutr 2024; 78:477-485. [PMID: 38424158 DOI: 10.1038/s41430-024-01423-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Iron deficiency is a recognized global health concern, particularly impactful during pregnancy where the mother serves as the primary source of iron for the developing fetus. Adequate maternal iron levels are crucial for fetal growth and cognitive development. This review investigates the correlation between maternal iron deficiency and cognitive impairment and anemia in offspring, considering age and gender differentials. PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases were queried using keywords "maternal," "iron," "gender/sex," and "cognition." The review included studies on human and animal subjects where maternal iron deficiency was the exposure and offspring cognitive function and anemia were outcomes. Out of 1139 articles screened, fourteen met inclusion criteria. Twelve studies highlighted cognitive deficits in offspring of iron-deficient mothers, with females generally exhibiting milder impairment compared to males. Additionally, two studies noted increased anemia prevalence in offspring of iron-deficient mothers, particularly affecting males and younger individuals. The findings suggest that male offspring are at higher risk of both anemia and cognitive dysfunction during youth, while females face increased risks in adulthood. Thus, maternal iron deficiency elevates the likelihood of anemia and cognitive impairments in offspring, underscoring the importance of addressing maternal iron status for optimal child health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saudatu Faruk
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Kamaldeen Olalekan Sanusi
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Kasimu Ghandi Ibrahim
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Basic Medical and Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Zarqa University, P.O.Box 2000, Zarqa, 13110, Jordan
| | - Bilyaminu Abubakar
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Ibrahim Malami
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Muhammad Bashir Bello
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Murtala Bello Abubakar
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Abdullahi Yahya Abbas
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, P.M.B. 2346, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha Umar Imam
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria.
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, PMB 2254, Sokoto, Nigeria.
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Wu Q, Ren Q, Meng J, Gao WJ, Chang YZ. Brain Iron Homeostasis and Mental Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1997. [PMID: 38001850 PMCID: PMC10669508 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12111997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron plays an essential role in various physiological processes. A disruption in iron homeostasis can lead to severe consequences, including impaired neurodevelopment, neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, and cancer. Interestingly, the link between mental health disorders and iron homeostasis has not received significant attention. Therefore, our understanding of iron metabolism in the context of psychological diseases is incomplete. In this review, we aim to discuss the pathologies and potential mechanisms that relate to iron homeostasis in associated mental disorders. We propose the hypothesis that maintaining brain iron homeostasis can support neuronal physiological functions by impacting key enzymatic activities during neurotransmission, redox balance, and myelination. In conclusion, our review highlights the importance of investigating the relationship between trace element nutrition and the pathological process of mental disorders, focusing on iron. This nutritional perspective can offer valuable insights for the clinical treatment of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China;
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nan’erhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (Q.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Qiuyang Ren
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nan’erhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (Q.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Jingsi Meng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nan’erhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (Q.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Wei-Juan Gao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China;
| | - Yan-Zhong Chang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nan’erhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang 050024, China; (Q.R.); (J.M.)
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Szklarz M, Gontarz-Nowak K, Matuszewski W, Bandurska-Stankiewicz E. Can Iron Play a Crucial Role in Maintaining Cardiovascular Health in the 21st Century? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11990. [PMID: 36231287 PMCID: PMC9565681 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the 21st century the heart is facing more and more challenges so it should be brave and iron to meet these challenges. We are living in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, population aging, prevalent obesity, diabetes and autoimmune diseases, environmental pollution, mass migrations and new potential pandemic threats. In our article we showed sophisticated and complex regulations of iron metabolism. We discussed the impact of iron metabolism on heart diseases, treatment of heart failure, diabetes and obesity. We faced the problems of constant stress, climate change, environmental pollution, migrations and epidemics and showed that iron is really essential for heart metabolism in the 21st century.
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Kukuia KKE, Torbi J, Amoateng P, Adutwum-Ofosu KK, Koomson AE, Appiah F, Tagoe TA, Mensah JA, Ameyaw EO, Adi-Dako O, Amponsah SK. Gestational iron supplementation reverses depressive-like behavior in post-partum Sprague Dawley rats: Evidence from behavioral and neurohistological studies. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 12:280-296. [PMID: 35746978 PMCID: PMC9210498 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that affects about 9–20% of women after child birth. Reports suggest that gestational iron deficiency can cause a deficit in behavioral, cognitive and affective functions and can precipitate depressive symptoms in mothers during the postpartum period. The present study examined the effect of iron supplementation on depressive behavior during postpartum period in a rat model. Method Female Sprague-Dawley rats were crossed. Pregnant rats received iron, fluoxetine, desferrioxamine or vehicle throughout the period of gestation. During the postpartum period, mothers from all groups were taken through the open field test (OFT), forced swim test (FST), novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) and sacrificed for histological examination of the brains. Results Results showed that rats treated with iron-chelating agent, desferrioxamine, and vehicle during gestation exhibited increased immobility scores in the FST, increased latency to feed and reduced feeding in the NIH with corresponding decreased number of neurons and dendritic branches in the cortex of the brain. These depression-related effects were attenuated by perinatal iron supplementation which showed decreased immobility scores in the FST comparable to rats treated with fluoxetine, a clinically effective antidepressant. Iron treatment also decreased latency to feeding while increasing feeding behavior in the NIH. Iron-treated dams had a higher number of neurons with dendritic connections in the frontal cortex compared to vehicle- and desferrioxamine-treated groups. Conclusion The results suggest that, iron supplementation during gestation exerts an antidepressant-like effect in postpartum Sprague-Dawley rats, attenuates neuronal loss associated with depression and increases dendritic spine density. Iron supplementation during gestation exerts an antidepressant-like effect in postpartum Sprague-Dawley rats. Iron supplementation during gestation attenuates neuronal loss associated with depression. Iron-treated dams had a higher number of neurons with dendritic connections in the frontal cortex.
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Monteiro S, Nejad YS, Aucoin M. Perinatal diet and offspring anxiety: A scoping review. Transl Neurosci 2022; 13:275-290. [PMID: 36128579 PMCID: PMC9449687 DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2022-0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Health behaviors during pregnancy have an impact on the developing offspring. Dietary factors play a role in the development of mental illness: however, less is known about the impact of diet factors during pre-conception, gestation, and lactation on anxiety levels in offspring. This scoping review sought to systematically map the available research involving human and animal subjects to identify nutritional interventions which may have a harmful or protective effect, as well as identify gaps. Studies investigating an association between any perinatal diet pattern or diet constituent and offspring anxiety were included. The number of studies reporting an association with increased or decreased levels of anxiety were counted and presented in figures. A total of 55,914 results were identified as part of a larger scoping review, and 120 articles met the criteria for inclusion. A greater intake of phytochemicals and vitamins were associated with decreased offspring anxiety whereas maternal caloric restriction, protein restriction, reduced omega-3 consumption, and exposure to a high fat diet were associated with higher levels of offspring anxiety. Results were limited by a very large proportion of animal studies. High quality intervention studies involving human subjects are warranted to elucidate the precise dietary factors or constituents that modulate the risk of anxiety in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha Monteiro
- Department of Research and Clinical Epidemiology, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 1255 Sheppard Ave E, Toronto, ON, M2K 1E2, Canada
| | - Yousef Sadat Nejad
- Department of Research and Clinical Epidemiology, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 1255 Sheppard Ave E, Toronto, ON, M2K 1E2, Canada
| | - Monique Aucoin
- Department of Research and Clinical Epidemiology, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 1255 Sheppard Ave E, Toronto, ON, M2K 1E2, Canada
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Matveeva TM, Singh G, Gisslen TA, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Sex differences in adult social, cognitive, and affective behavioral deficits following neonatal phlebotomy-induced anemia in mice. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01780. [PMID: 33605555 PMCID: PMC7994701 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anemia is common in prematurely born infants due to blood loss resulting from frequent phlebotomies and may contribute to their neurobehavioral deficits. Preclinical models of phlebotomy-induced anemia (PIA) have revealed metabolic and genomic changes in multiple brain structures of young mice, yet the impact of neonatal PIA on early-life and adult behavior has not been assessed. METHODS The present study employed a range of behavioral measures in phlebotomized anemic neonatal mice to investigate short- and long-term neurodevelopmental effects. PIA from postnatal (P) days 3 to 14 caused sex-specific changes in social behavior, novelty preference, and anxiety at P17 that persisted into adulthood. RESULTS Our preclinical model suggests that PIA may contribute to acute and long-term behavioral and affective deficits and warrants further substantiation of the observed behavioral phenomena in larger samples. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that this model is a useful tool for beginning to better understand the lasting effect that early-life PIA might have on the developing brain. The differential impact of PIA on male and female subjects warrants further exploration for the development of appropriately targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Garima Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Tate A Gisslen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jonathan C Gewirtz
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Markova V, Holm C, Pinborg AB, Thomsen LL, Moos T. Impairment of the Developing Human Brain in Iron Deficiency: Correlations to Findings in Experimental Animals and Prospects for Early Intervention Therapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2019; 12:ph12030120. [PMID: 31416268 PMCID: PMC6789712 DOI: 10.3390/ph12030120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the necessity of iron for a variety of cellular functions, the developing mammalian organism is vulnerable to iron deficiency, hence causing structural abnormalities and physiological malfunctioning in organs, which are particularly dependent on adequate iron stores, such as the brain. In early embryonic life, iron is already needed for proper development of the brain with the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of neuro-progenitor cells. This is underpinned by the widespread expression of transferrin receptors in the developing brain, which, in later life, is restricted to cells of the blood–brain and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barriers and neuronal cells, hence ensuring a sustained iron supply to the brain, even in the fully developed brain. In embryonic human life, iron deficiency is thought to result in a lower brain weight, with the impaired formation of myelin. Studies of fully developed infants that have experienced iron deficiency during development reveal the chronic and irreversible impairment of cognitive, memory, and motor skills, indicating widespread effects on the human brain. This review highlights the major findings of recent decades on the effects of gestational and lactational iron deficiency on the developing human brain. The findings are correlated to findings of experimental animals ranging from rodents to domestic pigs and non-human primates. The results point towards significant effects of iron deficiency on the developing brain. Evidence would be stronger with more studies addressing the human brain in real-time and the development of blood biomarkers of cerebral disturbance in iron deficiency. Cerebral iron deficiency is expected to be curable with iron substitution therapy, as the brain, privileged by the cerebral vascular transferrin receptor expression, is expected to facilitate iron extraction from the circulation and enable transport further into the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Markova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
- Pharmacosmos A/S, 4300 Holbæk, Denmark
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Holm
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Anja Bisgaard Pinborg
- Fertility Clinic, Juliane Marie Centre, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars Lykke Thomsen
- Pharmacosmos A/S, 4300 Holbæk, Denmark
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Torben Moos
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
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Moos T, Skjørringe T, Thomsen LL. Iron deficiency and iron treatment in the fetal developing brain - a pilot study introducing an experimental rat model. Reprod Health 2018; 15:93. [PMID: 29945643 PMCID: PMC6019982 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-018-0537-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Iron deficiency is especially common in women during the reproductive age and it is estimated that 52% of pregnant women have iron deficiency anemia. Maternal iron deficiency with or without anemia in pregnancy may have consequences for the fetus, where it may have an impact on the cerebral development of the brain. Both animals and adult human studies support that iron deficiency affects psychomotor development, behavioral traits, and cognitive functions in the offspring. However, it has not yet been established whether the availability of sufficient iron is particularly important in certain phases during brain development, and whether possible damages are reversible if iron supplementation is provided during pregnancy. Here we report results from a pilot study in an experimental rat model suitable for introducing iron deficiency in the fetal rat brain. Methods The model was utilized for examination of the potential to reverse changes in fetal brain iron by maternal parenteral iron administration. Fertilized females subjected to iron deficiency without anemia were subcutaneously injected with iron isomaltoside at the day of mating (E0), 14 days into pregnancy (E14), or at the day of birth (Postnatal (P) 0). Blood, brain and liver in the offspring were examined on P0 or in adulthood on postnatal day P70. Results Maternal iron restriction during pregnancy led to significantly lower levels of iron in the brains of newborn rats compared to levels in pups of iron sufficient mothers. Females fed ID diet (5.2 mg/kg Fe) had offspring with significantly lower cerebral iron compared to a control group fed a standard diet (158 mg/kg Fe). Injection of IIM to pregnant ID females on E0 or E14 yielded normalization of Fe in the developing brain known to express elevated levels of capillary transferrin receptors, indicating that the administered iron passed the placenta and fetal blood brain barrier. Conclusions In future studies, this translational model may be applied to examine morphological and biochemical consequences of iron deficiency and iron deficiency treatment in the developing fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Moos
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Biomedicine Group, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fr. Bajers Vej 3B, 1.216, DK-9220, Aalborg East, Denmark.
| | - Tina Skjørringe
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Biomedicine Group, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fr. Bajers Vej 3B, 1.216, DK-9220, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - Lars Lykke Thomsen
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Biomedicine Group, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fr. Bajers Vej 3B, 1.216, DK-9220, Aalborg East, Denmark
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Jenney CB, Alexander DN, Jones BC, Unger EL, Grigson PS. Preweaning iron deficiency increases non-contingent responding during cocaine self-administration in rats. Physiol Behav 2016; 167:282-288. [PMID: 27640134 PMCID: PMC5663288 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent single-nutrient deficiency worldwide. There is evidence that ID early in development (preweaning in rat) causes irreversible neurologic, behavioral, and motor development deficits. Many of these effects have been attributed to damage to dopamine systems, including ID-induced changes in transporter and receptor numbers in the striatum and nucleus accumbens. These mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons are, in part, responsible for mediating reward and thus play a key role in addiction. However, there has been relatively little investigation into the behavioral effects of ID on drug addiction. In 2002, we found that rats made ID from weaning (postnatal day 21) and throughout the experiment acquired cocaine self-administration significantly more slowly than controls and failed to increase responding when the dose of the drug was decreased. In the present study, we assessed addiction for self-administered cocaine in rats with a history of preweaning ID only during postnatal days 4 through 21, and iron replete thereafter. The results showed that while ID did not affect the number of cocaine infusions or the overall addiction-like behavior score, ID rats scored higher on a measure of continued responding for drug than did iron replete controls. This increase in responding, however, was less goal-directed as ID rats also responded more quickly to the non-rewarded manipulandum than did control rats. Thus, while ID early in infancy did not significantly increase addiction-like behaviors for cocaine in this small study, the pattern of data suggests a possible underlying learning or performance impairment. Future studies will be needed to elucidate the exact neuro-behavioral deficits that lead to the increase in indiscriminate responding for drug in rats with a history of perinatal ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Jenney
- Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Danielle N Alexander
- Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Byron C Jones
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Erica L Unger
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Patricia S Grigson
- Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
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Tran PV, Kennedy BC, Pisansky MT, Won KJ, Gewirtz JC, Simmons RA, Georgieff MK. Prenatal Choline Supplementation Diminishes Early-Life Iron Deficiency-Induced Reprogramming of Molecular Networks Associated with Behavioral Abnormalities in the Adult Rat Hippocampus. J Nutr 2016; 146:484-93. [PMID: 26865644 PMCID: PMC4763487 DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.227561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early-life iron deficiency is a common nutrient deficiency worldwide. Maternal iron deficiency increases the risk of schizophrenia and autism in the offspring. Postnatal iron deficiency in young children results in cognitive and socioemotional abnormalities in adulthood despite iron treatment. The rat model of diet-induced fetal-neonatal iron deficiency recapitulates the observed neurobehavioral deficits. OBJECTIVES We sought to establish molecular underpinnings for the persistent psychopathologic effects of early-life iron deficiency by determining whether it permanently reprograms the hippocampal transcriptome. We also assessed the effects of maternal dietary choline supplementation on the offspring's hippocampal transcriptome to identify pathways through which choline mitigates the emergence of long-term cognitive deficits. METHODS Male rat pups were made iron deficient (ID) by providing pregnant and nursing dams an ID diet (4 g Fe/kg) from gestational day (G) 2 through postnatal day (PND) 7 and an iron-sufficient (IS) diet (200 g Fe/kg) thereafter. Control pups were provided IS diet throughout. Choline (5 g/kg) was given to half the pregnant dams in each group from G11 to G18. PND65 hippocampal transcriptomes were assayed by next generation sequencing (NGS) and analyzed with the use of knowledge-based Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to validate a subset of altered genes. RESULTS Formerly ID rats had altered hippocampal expression of 619 from >10,000 gene loci sequenced by NGS, many of which map onto molecular networks implicated in psychological disorders, including anxiety, autism, and schizophrenia. There were significant interactions between iron status and prenatal choline treatment in influencing gene expression. Choline supplementation reduced the effects of iron deficiency, including those on gene networks associated with autism and schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Fetal-neonatal iron deficiency reprograms molecular networks associated with the pathogenesis of neurologic and psychological disorders in adult rats. The positive response to prenatal choline represents a potential adjunctive therapeutic supplement to the high-risk group.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kyoung-Jae Won
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Department of Genetics, and
| | - Jonathan C Gewirtz
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, and,Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Rebecca A Simmons
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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Fiset C, Rioux FM, Surette ME, Fiset S. Prenatal Iron Deficiency in Guinea Pigs Increases Locomotor Activity but Does Not Influence Learning and Memory. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0133168. [PMID: 26186713 PMCID: PMC4506089 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of the current study was to determine whether prenatal iron deficiency induced during gestation in guinea pigs affected locomotor activity and learning and memory processes in the progeny. Dams were fed either iron-deficient anemic or iron-sufficient diets throughout gestation and lactation. After weaning, all pups were fed an iron-sufficient diet. On postnatal day 24 and 40, the pups’ locomotor activity was observed within an open-field test, and from postnatal day 25 to 40, their learning and memory processes were assessed within a Morris Water Maze. The behavioural and cognitive tests revealed that the iron deficient pup group had increased locomotor activity, but solely on postnatal day 40, and that there were no group differences in the Morris Water Maze. In the general discussion, we propose that prenatal iron deficiency induces an increase in nervousness due to anxiety in the progeny, which, in the current study, resulted in an increase of locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Fiset
- Programme de nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - France M. Rioux
- Programme de nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marc E. Surette
- Département de Chimie et Biochimie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Sylvain Fiset
- Secteur des Sciences Humaines, Université de Moncton, Campus d’Edmundston, Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Kim J, Wessling-Resnick M. Iron and mechanisms of emotional behavior. J Nutr Biochem 2014; 25:1101-1107. [PMID: 25154570 PMCID: PMC4253901 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2014.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Iron is required for appropriate behavioral organization. Iron deficiency results in poor brain myelination and impaired monoamine metabolism. Glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid homeostasis is modified by changes in brain iron status. Such changes produce not only deficits in memory/learning capacity and motor skills, but also emotional and psychological problems. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that both energy metabolism and neurotransmitter homeostasis influence emotional behavior, and both functions are influenced by brain iron status. Like other neurobehavioral aspects, the influence of iron metabolism on mechanisms of emotional behavior is multifactorial: brain region-specific control of behavior, regulation of neurotransmitters and associated proteins, temporal and regional differences in iron requirements, oxidative stress responses to excess iron, sex differences in metabolism, and interactions between iron and other metals. To better understand the role that brain iron plays in emotional behavior and mental health, this review discusses the pathologies associated with anxiety and other emotional disorders with respect to body iron status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonghan Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Siddappa AJM, Tran PV, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Prenatal choline supplementation ameliorates the long-term neurobehavioral effects of fetal-neonatal iron deficiency in rats. J Nutr 2014; 144:1858-65. [PMID: 25332485 PMCID: PMC4195423 DOI: 10.3945/jn.114.198739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 07/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational iron deficiency in humans and rodents produces long-term deficits in cognitive and socioemotional function and alters expression of plasticity genes in the hippocampus that persist despite iron treatment. Prenatal choline supplementation improves cognitive function in other rodent models of developmental insults. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether prenatal choline supplementation prevents the long-term effects of fetal-neonatal iron deficiency on cognitive and social behaviors and hippocampal gene expression. METHODS Pregnant rat dams were administered an iron-deficient (2-6 g/kg iron) or iron-sufficient (IS) (200 g/kg iron) diet from embryonic day (E) 3 to postnatal day (P) 7 with or without choline supplementation (5 g/kg choline chloride, E11-18). Novel object recognition (NOR) in the test vs. acquisition phase, social approach (SA), and hippocampal mRNA expression were compared at P65 in 4 male adult offspring groups: formerly iron deficient (FID), FID with choline supplementation (FID-C), IS, and IS with choline supplementation. RESULTS Relative to the intact NOR in IS rats (acquisition: 47.9%, test: 60.2%, P < 0.005), FID adult rats had impaired recognition memory at the 6-h delay (acquisition: 51.4%, test: 55.1%, NS), accompanied by a 15% reduction in hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) (P < 0.05) and myelin basic protein (Mbp) (P < 0.05). Prenatal choline supplementation in FID rats restored NOR (acquisition: 48.8%, test: 64.4%, P < 0.0005) and increased hippocampal gene expression (FID-C vs. FID group: Bdnf, Mbp, P < 0.01). SA was also reduced in FID rats (P < 0.05 vs. IS rats) but was only marginally improved by prenatal choline supplementation. CONCLUSIONS Deficits in recognition memory, but not social behavior, resulting from gestational iron deficiency are attenuated by prenatal choline supplementation, potentially through preservation of hippocampal Bdnf and Mbp expression. Prenatal choline supplementation may be a promising adjunct treatment for fetal-neonatal iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce C Kennedy
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurobehavioral Development,
| | | | - Asha J M Siddappa
- Center for Neurobehavioral Development, Department of Pediatrics, and
| | - Phu V Tran
- Center for Neurobehavioral Development, Department of Pediatrics, and
| | - Jonathan C Gewirtz
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurobehavioral Development, Department of Psychology
| | - Michael K Georgieff
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurobehavioral Development, Department of Pediatrics, and Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
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Harvey L, Boksa P. Additive effects of maternal iron deficiency and prenatal immune activation on adult behaviors in rat offspring. Brain Behav Immun 2014; 40:27-37. [PMID: 24930842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Revised: 05/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Both iron deficiency (ID) and infection are common during pregnancy and studies have described altered brain development in offspring as a result of these individual maternal exposures. Given their high global incidence, these two insults may occur simultaneously during pregnancy. We recently described a rat model which pairs dietary ID during pregnancy and prenatal immune activation. Pregnant rats were placed on iron sufficient (IS) or ID diets from embryonic day 2 (E2) until postnatal day 7, and administered the bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline on E15/16. In this model, LPS administration on E15 caused greater induction of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, in ID dams compared to IS dams. This suggested that the combination of prenatal immune activation on a background of maternal ID might have more adverse neurodevelopmental consequences for the offspring than exposure to either insult alone. In this study we used this model to determine whether combined exposure to maternal ID and prenatal immune activation interact to affect juvenile and adult behaviors in the offspring. We assessed behaviors relevant to deficits in humans or animals that have been associated with exposure to either maternal ID or prenatal immune activation alone. Adult offspring from ID dams displayed significant deficits in pre-pulse inhibition of acoustic startle and in passive avoidance learning, together with increases in cytochrome oxidase immunohistochemistry, a marker of metabolic activity, in the ventral hippocampus immediately after passive avoidance testing. Offspring from LPS treated dams showed a significant increase in social behavior with unfamiliar rats, and subtle locomotor changes during exploration in an open field and in response to amphetamine. Surprisingly, there was no interaction between effects of the two insults on the behaviors assessed, and few observed alterations in juvenile behavior. Our findings show that long-term effects of maternal ID and prenatal LPS were additive, such that offspring exposed to both insults displayed more adult behavioral abnormalities than offspring exposed to one alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Harvey
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 La Salle Blvd, Verdun H4H 1R3, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patricia Boksa
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 La Salle Blvd, Verdun H4H 1R3, Quebec, Canada.
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16
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Harvey L, Boksa P. Do prenatal immune activation and maternal iron deficiency interact to affect neurodevelopment and early behavior in rat offspring? Brain Behav Immun 2014; 35:144-54. [PMID: 24064370 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 08/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection and iron deficiency are common during pregnancy and studies have described altered brain development in the offspring as a result of these individual maternal exposures. Both exposures have been identified as risk factors for schizophrenia yet they have never been modeled simultaneously. We developed a rat model of prenatal immune activation on a background of maternal iron deficiency to determine whether these factors interact to affect neurodevelopment and early behavior in offspring. Pregnant rats were placed on iron sufficient (IS) or iron deficient (ID) diets from E2 to P7, and administered LPS or saline on E15/16. Iron was reduced in liver, spleen, serum and placenta from ID dams by E15. LPS administration on E15 caused greater induction of serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in ID dams compared to IS dams. Offspring (P0, P7) from ID dams had reduced iron in spleen, liver and brain compared to IS, which normalized by P21. Pups from ID dams showed differences in forelimb grasp and acoustic startle, whilst pups from LPS dams displayed differences in grip ability, geotaxis reflex, cliff avoidance and acoustic startle. Offspring from LPS dams displayed reduced locomotor activity at P7 and P60; offspring from ID dams showed no change. Our findings show effects of prenatal LPS and maternal iron deficiency were additive, such that offspring exposed to both insults displayed more neurodevelopmental abnormalities than offspring exposed to one alone. Yet surprisingly there was no interaction between factors, suggesting independent mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Harvey
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 La Salle Blvd, Verdun, H4H 1R3 Quebec, Canada
| | - Patricia Boksa
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 La Salle Blvd, Verdun, H4H 1R3 Quebec, Canada.
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Pisansky MT, Wickham RJ, Su J, Fretham S, Yuan LL, Sun M, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Iron deficiency with or without anemia impairs prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex. Hippocampus 2013; 23:952-62. [PMID: 23733517 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Iron deficiency (ID) during early life causes long-lasting detrimental cognitive sequelae, many of which are linked to alterations in hippocampus function, dopamine synthesis, and the modulation of dopaminergic circuitry by the hippocampus. These same features have been implicated in the origins of schizophrenia, a neuropsychiatric disorder with significant cognitive impairments. Deficits in sensorimotor gating represent a reliable endophenotype of schizophrenia that can be measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex. Using two rodent model systems, we investigated the influence of early-life ID on PPI in adulthood. To isolate the role of hippocampal iron in PPI, our mouse model utilized a timed (embryonic day 18.5), hippocampus-specific knockout of Slc11a2, a gene coding an important regulator of cellular iron uptake, the divalent metal transport type 1 protein (DMT-1). Our second model used a classic rat dietary-based global ID during gestation, a condition that closely mimics human gestational ID anemia (IDA). Both models exhibited impaired PPI in adulthood. Furthermore, our DMT-1 knockout model displayed reduced long-term potentiation (LTP) and elevated paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), electrophysiological results consistent with previous findings in the IDA rat model. These results, in combination with previous findings demonstrating impaired hippocampus functioning and altered dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, suggest that iron availability within the hippocampus is critical for the neurodevelopmental processes underlying sensorimotor gating. Ultimately, evidence of reduced PPI in both of our models may offer insights into the roles of fetal ID and the hippocampus in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc T Pisansky
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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18
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Baharnoori M, Bhardwaj SK, Srivastava LK. Neonatal behavioral changes in rats with gestational exposure to lipopolysaccharide: a prenatal infection model for developmental neuropsychiatric disorders. Schizophr Bull 2012; 38:444-56. [PMID: 20805287 PMCID: PMC3329978 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbq098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to prenatal infections has been widely associated with the increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders of developmental origin such as schizophrenia and autism. Although several behavioral and cognitive deficits have been detected during adulthood in rodent models of prenatal infections, early behavioral changes have not been well characterized. In a prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model, we have previously observed significant alterations in the neuronal cytoarchitecture during early postnatal life. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential effects of prenatal immune activation on early neurophenotypic presentations using a set of behavioral test battery. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with 100 μg/kg LPS (intraperitoneally) at gestational days 15 and 16. During the first postnatal week, we found no significant effect on maternal behavior or mother-pup interaction by this treatment. Also, no major changes in physical developmental milestones of pups were noted from postnatal (P) days P6 to P16. Importantly, prenatal LPS-exposed pups had a significant decrease in the number and duration of ultrasonic vocalization calls at P3 and P5. Prenatal LPS treatment also led to impairments in nest-seeking behavior and odor-stroke associative learning in neonatal rats at P8 and P9. At the molecular level, we detected significant decrease in the expression of cortical 5HT1A and 5HT1B messenger RNA at P3. These data suggest that prenatal exposure to an immune activator can significantly impair the social/communicative behavior in the neonate offspring, which may be relevant to childhood and premorbid abnormalities reported in autism and schizophrenia subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lalit K. Srivastava
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; tel: +514-761-6131, fax: +514-762-3034, e-mail:
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19
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Li Y, Kim J, Buckett PD, Böhlke M, Maher TJ, Wessling-Resnick M. Severe postnatal iron deficiency alters emotional behavior and dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex of young male rats. J Nutr 2011; 141:2133-8. [PMID: 22013197 PMCID: PMC3223871 DOI: 10.3945/jn.111.145946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron deficiency in early human life is associated with abnormal neurological development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of postnatal iron deficiency on emotional behavior and dopaminergic metabolism in the prefrontal cortex in a young male rodent model. Weanling, male, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed standard nonpurified diet (220 mg/kg iron) or an iron-deficient diet (2-6 mg/kg iron). After 1 mo, hematocrits were 0.42 ± 0.0043 and 0.16 ± 0.0068 (mean ± SEM; P < 0.05; n = 8), liver nonheme iron concentrations were 2.3 ± 0.24 and 0.21 ± 0.010 μmol/g liver (P < 0.05; n = 8), and serum iron concentrations were 47 ± 5.4 and 23 ± 7.1 μmol/L (P < 0.05; n = 8), respectively. An elevated plus maze was used to study emotional behavior. Iron-deficient rats displayed anxious behavior with fewer entries and less time spent in open arms compared to control rats (0.25 ± 0.25 vs. 1.8 ± 0.62 entries; 0.88 ± 0.88 vs. 13 ± 4.6 s; P < 0.05; n = 8). Iron-deficient rats also traveled with a lower velocity in the elevated plus maze (1.2 ± 0.15 vs. 1.7 ± 0.12 cm/s; P < 0.05; n = 8), behavior that reflected reduced motor function as measured on a standard accelerating rotarod device. Both the time on the rotarod bar before falling and the peak speed attained on rotarod by iron-deficient rats were lower than control rats (156 ± 12 vs. 194 ± 12 s; 23 ± 1.5 vs. 28 ± 1.6 rpm; P < 0.05; n = 7-8). Microdialysis experiments showed that these behavioral effects were associated with reduced concentrations of extracellular dopamine in the prefrontal cortex of the iron-deficient rats (79 ± 7.0 vs. 110 ± 14 ng/L; P < 0.05; n = 4). Altered dopaminergic signaling in the prefrontal cortex most likely contributes to the anxious behavior observed in young male rats with severe iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, and
| | - Jonghan Kim
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, and
| | | | - Mark Böhlke
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA
| | - Timothy J. Maher
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA
| | - Marianne Wessling-Resnick
- Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, and,Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; and,To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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20
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Filiou MD, Zhang Y, Teplytska L, Reckow S, Gormanns P, Maccarrone G, Frank E, Kessler MS, Hambsch B, Nussbaumer M, Bunck M, Ludwig T, Yassouridis A, Holsboer F, Landgraf R, Turck CW. Proteomics and metabolomics analysis of a trait anxiety mouse model reveals divergent mitochondrial pathways. Biol Psychiatry 2011; 70:1074-82. [PMID: 21791337 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2011] [Revised: 06/07/2011] [Accepted: 06/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, no molecular biomarkers exist for their premorbid diagnosis, accurate patient subcategorization, or treatment efficacy prediction. To unravel the neurobiological underpinnings and identify candidate biomarkers and affected pathways for anxiety disorders, we interrogated the mouse model of high anxiety-related behavior (HAB), normal anxiety-related behavior (NAB), and low anxiety-related behavior (LAB) employing a quantitative proteomics and metabolomics discovery approach. METHODS We compared the cingulate cortex synaptosome proteomes of HAB and LAB mice by in vivo (15)N metabolic labeling and mass spectrometry and quantified the cingulate cortex metabolomes of HAB/NAB/LAB mice. The combined data sets were used to identify divergent protein and metabolite networks by in silico pathway analysis. Selected differentially expressed proteins and affected pathways were validated with immunochemical and enzymatic assays. RESULTS Altered levels of up to 300 proteins and metabolites were found between HAB and LAB mice. Our data reveal alterations in energy metabolism, mitochondrial import and transport, oxidative stress, and neurotransmission, implicating a previously nonhighlighted role of mitochondria in modulating anxiety-related behavior. CONCLUSIONS Our results offer insights toward a molecular network of anxiety pathophysiology with a focus on mitochondrial contribution and provide the basis for pinpointing affected pathways in anxiety-related behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela D Filiou
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2, Munich, Germany
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21
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Dietary vitamin E deficiency increases anxiety-like behavior in juvenile and adult rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2011; 75:1894-9. [PMID: 21979061 DOI: 10.1271/bbb.110190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Vitamin E deficiency from birth or infancy has recently been found to increase anxiety-like behavior in rodents. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of dietary vitamin E deficiency on anxiety in adult rats in comparison with juvenile rats. Male Wistar rats, 3 or 10 weeks old, were divided into two groups and fed a control or vitamin E-deficient diet for 4 weeks. The results of behavioral analysis revealed that vitamin E-deficiency increased anxiety in both juvenile and adult rats. Plasma, liver, and brain α-tocopherol concentrations decreased significantly due to vitamin E deficiency in both age groups. Plasma corticosterone concentrations were higher in the vitamin E-deficient rats in response to the stress of a behavioral test. Based on these results, we conclude that dietary vitamin-E deficiency induces anxiety in adult rats as well as juvenile rats. This might be due to an elevated plasma corticosterone concentration.
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Developmental vitamin D (DVD) deficiency alters pup-retrieval but not isolation-induced pup ultrasonic vocalizations in the rat. Physiol Behav 2010; 102:201-4. [PMID: 21059363 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2010] [Revised: 11/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Evidence from animal experiments now demonstrates that prenatal vitamin D levels influence brain development. The aims of this study were to examine isolation-induced pup ultrasonic vocalizations and maternal-infant interactions using a pup-retrieval test in developmental vitamin D (DVD) deficient and control rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a vitamin D deficient diet or control diet six weeks prior to mating until birth and housed under UVB-free lighting conditions. In two separate experiments we recorded ultrasonic vocalizations at 46KHz in isolated pups and we performed a pup-retrieval test on the day of birth. There was no significant effect of maternal diet on the calling rate of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations by pups. We found that DVD-deficient dams retrieved their pups sooner than control dams and engaged in more pup directed activities (sniffing and carrying pups) and had a longer latency for self-grooming and rearing than control dams. We also assessed vitamin D related measures from a terminal blood sample immediately after the pup-retrieval test and found that DVD-deficient dams and pups had significantly lower levels of 25 OH D₃, 1,25 (OH)₂D₃ and phosphate, elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) but there was no significant effect of maternal diet on calcium levels. We speculate that the altered maternal-pup interactions identified in the DVD model may impact on early periods of brain development and behaviour.
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23
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LeBlanc CP, Fiset S, Surette ME, Turgeon O'Brien H, Rioux FM. Maternal iron deficiency alters essential fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and increases locomotion in adult guinea pig offspring. J Nutr 2009; 139:1653-9. [PMID: 19640965 DOI: 10.3945/jn.109.106013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent worldwide nutritional deficiency. Groups at risk of developing ID anemia are infants and pregnant women, even in industrialized countries. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the long-term consequences of maternal ID on the offspring's fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism, behavior, and spatial memory. Female guinea pigs consumed iron-sufficient (IS) and -deficient (ID) diets for 14 d before mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation. Dietary iron restriction resulted in ID in pregnant females. On postnatal d 9, all offspring (ID and IS) were weaned to the IS diet and at 42 d, all offspring were iron replete. Locomotion was tested in pups on postnatal d 24 and 40 and spatial memory from d 25 to 40. Pups from the ID group were significantly more active in the open field at both times of testing, whereas spatial memory, tested in a Morris water maze, was comparable in both groups. On postnatal d 42, liver, RBC, and brain fatty acid composition were measured. Dihomogammalinolenic [20:3(n-6)], docosapentaenoic [22:5(n-3)], and docosahexaenoic [22:6(n-3)] acid contents were significantly higher in brain phospholipids of offspring born to ID dams. Prostaglandin E(2) and F(2alpha) concentrations were also significantly higher in brains of offspring born to ID dams. This demonstrates that moderate ID during gestation and lactation results in alterations of brain fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and perturbation in behavior in adult offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline P LeBlanc
- Ecole des sciences des aliments, de nutrition et d'études familiales, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9 Canada
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24
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Leblanc CP, Surette ME, Fiset S, Turgeon O'Brien H, Rioux FM. Maternal iron deficiency and its effect on essential fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and spatial memory in the guinea pig offspring. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2009; 81:1-8. [PMID: 19524424 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2008] [Revised: 04/25/2009] [Accepted: 05/21/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Iron deficiency is prevalent among infants and pregnant women in industrialized country. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of moderate maternal iron deficiency on the offspring's fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and spatial memory in guinea pigs. An iron-sufficient (IS) or iron-deficient (ID) diet was fed 14 days before mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation. The pups were tested for spatial memory on post-natal days 4-7. On post-natal day 9, the biochemical analysis included the pup's brain fatty acid profiles, prostaglandin (PGE(2) and PGF(2alpha)) concentrations and cyclooxygenase II protein levels. Spatial memory and indices of eicosanoid metabolism were comparable in both dietary groups. However, n-3 fatty acids were significantly higher (p<0.05) in brain of pups from the ID group. The data suggest that maternal iron deficiency results in a modification of the fatty acid profile of the offspring's brain that is not associated with any spatial memory deficits during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C P Leblanc
- Département des sciences des aliments et de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada G1K 7P4
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25
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Thomas DG, Grant SL, Aubuchon-Endsley NL. The role of iron in neurocognitive development. Dev Neuropsychol 2009; 34:196-222. [PMID: 19267295 DOI: 10.1080/87565640802646767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In this article we present a review of the current literature relating iron and iron deficiency to psychological and neurobiological outcomes in both humans and experimental animals. In particular, we focus on the role of iron during gestation and infancy and the possible impact on neurobehavioral development in the short and long term. In the context of reviewing this literature, the following questions are addressed: (1) What are the neural mechanisms that are directly influenced by iron and iron deficiency? (2) Does iron play a true causal role in determining these outcomes? (3) Is there a sensitive period during which iron deficiency is most harmful?
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA.
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26
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Saldanha-Araujo F, Souza AM. Early effects on T lymphocyte response to iron deficiency in mice. Short communication. Biol Trace Elem Res 2009; 127:95-101. [PMID: 18825318 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-008-8235-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2008] [Accepted: 09/12/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Iron deficiency is a common nutritional disorder, affecting about 30% of the world population. Deficits in iron functional compartments have suppressive effects on the immune system. Environmental problems, age, and other nutrient deficiencies are some of the situations which make human studies difficult and warrant the use of animal models. This study aimed to investigate alterations in the immune system by inducing iron deficiency and promoting recuperation in a mouse model. Hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, liver iron store, and flow cytometry analyses of cell-surface transferrin receptor (CD71) on peripheral blood and spleen CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte were performed in the control (C) and the iron-deficient (ID) groups of animals at the beginning and end of the experiment. Hematological indices of C and ID mice were not different but the iron stores of ID mice were significantly reduced. Although T cell subsets were not altered, the percentage of T cells expressing CD71 was significantly increased by ID. The results suggest that iron deficiency induced by our experimental model would mimic the early events in the onset of anemia, where thymus atrophy is not enough to influence subset composition of T cells, which can still respond to iron deficiency by upregulating the expression of transferrin receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Saldanha-Araujo
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, São Paolo, Brazil
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Felt BT, Beard JL, Schallert T, Shao J, Aldridge JW, Connor JR, Georgieff MK, Lozoff B. Persistent neurochemical and behavioral abnormalities in adulthood despite early iron supplementation for perinatal iron deficiency anemia in rats. Behav Brain Res 2006; 171:261-70. [PMID: 16713640 PMCID: PMC1851886 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2006] [Revised: 03/29/2006] [Accepted: 04/03/2006] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) has been associated with altered cognitive, motor, and social-emotional outcomes in human infants. We recently reported that rats with chronic perinatal IDA, had altered regional brain iron, monoamines, and sensorimotor skill emergence during early development. OBJECTIVE To examine the long-term consequences of chronic perinatal IDA on behavior, brain iron and monoamine systems after dietary iron treatment in rats. METHODS Sixty dams were randomly assigned to iron-sufficient (CN) or low-iron (EID) diets during gestation and lactation. Thereafter, all offspring were fed the iron-sufficient diet, assessed for hematology and behavior after weaning and into adulthood and for brain measures as adults (regional brain iron, monoamines, dopamine and serotonin transporters, and dopamine receptor). Behavioral assessments included sensorimotor function, general activity, response to novelty, spatial alternation, and spatial water maze performance. RESULTS Hematology and growth were similar for EID and CN rats by postnatal day 35. In adulthood, EID thalamic iron content was lower. Monoamines, dopamine transporter, and dopamine receptor concentrations did not differ from CN. EID serotonin transporter concentration was reduced in striatum and related regions. EID rats had persisting sensorimotor deficits (delayed vibrissae-evoked forelimb placing, longer sticker removal time, and more imperfect grooming chains), were more hesitant in novel settings, and had poorer spatial water maze performance than CN. General activity and spatial alternation were similar for EID and CN. CONCLUSION Rats that had chronic perinatal IDA showed behavioral impairments that suggest persistent striatal dopamine and hippocampal dysfunction despite normalization of hematology, growth and most brain measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara T Felt
- Center for Human Growth and Development and Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA.
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