Effects of prenatal dexamethasone treatment and moderate post-weaning fructose consumption on recognition memory in adult male Wistar rat offspring
2024
Authors:
Ignjatović, ĐurđicaNestorović, Nataša
Tomić, Mirko
Ristić, Nataša
Veličković, Nataša
Perović, Milka
Tovilović-Kovačević, Gordana
Manojlović-Stojanoski, Milica
Document Type:
Conference object (Published version)
,
© 2024 Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Sarajevo
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract:
During prenatal development, glucocorticoids control fetal growth and maturation of fetal tissues. Synthetic glucocorticoids are frequently administered to pregnant women at risk for preterm delivery. Despite their beneficial effects on lung maturation and fetal survival, their impact on the developing brain is less clear. Among postnatal factors that might have a profound effect on both the cognitive capacity and behavior of the offspring, high fructose consumption is particularly concerning in the young population. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of prenatal dexamethasone exposure additionally challenged with postnatal fructose overconsumption on anxiety and recognition memory performance in male Wistar rat offspring. Pregnant female rats were treated with three doses of dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg/b.m.) during late gestation (16th-18th gestational day), corresponding to clinical human exposure. Male offspring were supplemented with a moderate dose of fructose, similar to those found in sugar-sweetened beverages (10% solution), from weaning till adulthood. Recognition memory and anxiety-like behavior were assessed using a novel object recognition test, and elevated plus maze, respectively. Hippocampal synaptic plasticity was estimated by the levels of GAP-43, synaptophysin, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), and its activating phosphorylation (pPSD-95-Ser295). Prenatal dexamethasone treatment induced an anxiolytic-like effect, stimulation of exploratory behavior, and the improvement of recognition memory associated with an increase in GAP-43 protein level in the hippocampus. Fructose overconsumption after weaning did not modify the effects of prenatal glucocorticoid exposure in the applied experimental model, suggesting that fetal programming had a prevailing influence. According to our results, prenatal dexamethasone treatment may induce changes in reactions to novel situations in male Wistar rats which might represent advantageous fetal developmental adaptation to a new environment, while increased exploratory behavior, reduced anxiety, and improved ability to recognize novel objects could improve survival in an adverse postnatal environment.
Keywords:
prenatal; dexamethasone; fructose; novel object recognition; hippocampus; synaptic plasticity; programmingFunding / projects:
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200007 (University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković') (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200007)
In:
- Book of abstracts: 2nd B&H Symposium of Laboratory Geneticists and Molecular Biologists (with International Participation); 2024 May 10-11; Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo: Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Sarajevo; 2024. p. 34. (Genetics and Applications; Special edition).