Xiao Wang1,2,3, Junhua Yang1,2,4,5, Hongyang Zhang1,2, Jing Yu2,5, Zhibin Yao1,2. 1. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China. 2. Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China. 3. Department of Biotechnology, School of Basic Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China. 4. School of Biosciences & Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China. 5. Editorial Department of Journal of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Abstract
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is associated with an increased risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in offspring. Animal experiments have found that interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-17a are key cytokines in the induction of ASD by MIA. Moreover, probiotics were verified to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, we investigated whether the administration of oral probiotics during pregnancy might protect the offspring that have suffered MIA from developing ASD. Probiotics were orally administered to pregnant mice with/without the simultaneous administration of Poly(I:C). We found that oral probiotics prevented the ASD-like behaviors induced by MIA in offspring. Furthermore, oral probiotics prevented the MIA-induced increases in the IL-6 and IL-17a levels in both maternal serum and fetal brains, parvalbumin positive (PV+ ) neuron loss, and the decrease in the γ-aminobutyric acid levels in the prefrontal cortex of adult offspring. This work suggests that administering oral probiotics during pregnancy may help decrease the risk of ASD following MIA during pregnancy. Autism Res 2019, 12: 576-588.
Maternal immune activation (MIA) is associated with an increased risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in offspring. Animal experiments have found that interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-17a are key cytokines in the induction of ASD by MIA. Moreover, probiotics were verified to inhibit the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, we investigated whether the administration of oral probiotics during pregnancy might protect the offspring that have suffered MIA from developing ASD. Probiotics were orally administered to pregnant mice with/without the simultaneous administration of Poly(I:C). We found that oral probiotics prevented the ASD-like behaviors induced by MIA in offspring. Furthermore, oral probiotics prevented the MIA-induced increases in the IL-6 and IL-17a levels in both maternal serum and fetal brains, parvalbumin positive (PV+ ) neuron loss, and the decrease in the γ-aminobutyric acid levels in the prefrontal cortex of adult offspring. This work suggests that administering oral probiotics during pregnancy may help decrease the risk of ASD following MIA during pregnancy. Autism Res 2019, 12: 576-588.
Authors: Bo Ram Beck; Gun-Seok Park; Do Yeun Jeong; Yong Hyun Lee; Sunghoon Im; Won Ho Song; Jihee Kang Journal: Front Cell Infect Microbiol Date: 2019-07-25 Impact factor: 5.293