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Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Li, S; Liu, Y; Liu, B; Hu, Y-Q; Ding, Y-Q; Zhang, J; Feng, L
Published in: Toxicology
May 30, 2022

It is well understood that exposure to particulate matter (PM) can have adverse effects on the nervous system. When pregnant women are exposed to PM, their fetuses are also affected through the placenta. However, the mechanisms by which fetal brain development is regulated between mother and fetus remain unclear. C57BL/6J pregnant mice were exposed to PM at embryonic day (E) 2.5, 5.5, 8.5, 11.5, 14.5, and 17.5 via nasal drip at three doses (3, 6, 12 mg/kg of body weight) or PBS control. Neurobehavioral changes in the offspring were examined at 5-6-week-old by open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM). The maternal and fetal brain and placenta were collected at E18.5, and molecular signal changes were explored using transcriptome analysis. We found that both male and female low-dose pups and male middle-dose pups traveled a significantly longer distance than controls in EPM tests. Both male and female low-dose pups showed a higher frequency of entering the center area and female low-dose pups exhibited a higher percentage of distance moved in the center area than controls in OFT tests. Gene expression in the maternal brain, fetal brain, and placenta at E18.5 was altered. Differentially expressed genes were enriched in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway in all three tissue types. Pathway analysis revealed that the PI3K-Akt and PKC signaling was dysregulated in the fetal brain in the high-dose group compared with the control group. The pathways play a role in neuronal survival and apoptosis. Furthermore, there is a dose-dependent increase in Caspase-6, neuronal apoptosis and neurodegeneration biomarker, levels in E18.5 fetal brain (P = 0.06). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that prenatal PM exposure enhanced exploration and locomotor activity in adolescent offspring and altered molecular events in maternal brain, fetal brain, and placenta. The connections of these changes warrant further investigations.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Toxicology

DOI

EISSN

1879-3185

Publication Date

May 30, 2022

Volume

474

Start / End Page

153225

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
  • Pregnancy
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Particulate Matter
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice
  • Maternal Exposure
  • Male
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Li, S., Liu, Y., Liu, B., Hu, Y.-Q., Ding, Y.-Q., Zhang, J., & Feng, L. (2022). Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring. Toxicology, 474, 153225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2022.153225
Li, Shuman, Yongjie Liu, Bin Liu, Yun-Qing Hu, Yu-Qiang Ding, Jun Zhang, and Liping Feng. “Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring.Toxicology 474 (May 30, 2022): 153225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2022.153225.
Li S, Liu Y, Liu B, Hu Y-Q, Ding Y-Q, Zhang J, et al. Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring. Toxicology. 2022 May 30;474:153225.
Li, Shuman, et al. “Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring.Toxicology, vol. 474, May 2022, p. 153225. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.tox.2022.153225.
Li S, Liu Y, Liu B, Hu Y-Q, Ding Y-Q, Zhang J, Feng L. Maternal urban particulate matter exposure and signaling pathways in fetal brains and neurobehavioral development in offspring. Toxicology. 2022 May 30;474:153225.
Journal cover image

Published In

Toxicology

DOI

EISSN

1879-3185

Publication Date

May 30, 2022

Volume

474

Start / End Page

153225

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Toxicology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
  • Pregnancy
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Particulate Matter
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice
  • Maternal Exposure
  • Male