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Maternal immune activation in mice delays myelination and axonal development in the hippocampus of the offspring
Author(s) -
Makinodan Manabu,
Tatsumi Kouko,
Manabe Takayuki,
Yamauchi Takahira,
Makinodan Eri,
Matsuyoshi Hiroko,
Shimoda Shigero,
Noriyama Yoshinobu,
Kishimoto Toshifumi,
Wanaka Akio
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.21673
Subject(s) - offspring , hippocampus , neuroscience , immune system , neurogenesis , psychology , biology , immunology , pregnancy , genetics
Epidemiological data suggest a relationship between maternal infection and a high incidence of schizophrenia in offspring. An animal model based on this hypothesis was made by injecting double‐stranded RNA, polyinosinic‐polycytidylic acid (poly‐I:C), into early pregnant mice, and their offspring were examined for biochemical and histological abnormalities. Mouse brains were examined with special reference to oligodendrocytes, which have been implicated in several neurodevelopmental disorders. We detected a significant decrease of myelin basic protein (MBP) mRNA and protein at early postnatal periods in poly‐I:C mice. MBP immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy revealed that the hippocampus of juvenile poly‐I:C mice was less myelinated than in PBS mice, with no significant loss of oligodendrocytes. In addition, axonal diameters were significantly smaller in juvenile poly‐I:C mice than in control mice. These abnormalities reverted to normal levels when the animals reached the adult stage. These findings suggest that retarded myelination and axonal abnormalities in early postnatal stages caused by maternal immune activation could be related to schizophrenia‐related behaviors in adulthood. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.