Dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids from weaning limits brain biochemistry and behavioural changes elicited by prenatal exposure to maternal inflammation in the mouse model

Transl Psychiatry. 2015 Sep 22;5(9):e641. doi: 10.1038/tp.2015.126.

Abstract

Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) increases the risk of schizophrenia and autism in the offspring. The MIA rodent model provides a valuable tool to directly test the postnatal consequences of exposure to an early inflammatory insult; and examine novel preventative strategies. Here we tested the hypotheses that behavioural differences in the MIA mouse model are accompanied by in vivo and ex vivo alterations in brain biochemistry; and that these can be prevented by a post-weaning diet enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). The viral analogue PolyI:C (POL) or saline (SAL) was administered to pregnant mice on gestation day 9. Half the resulting male offspring (POL=21; SAL=17) were weaned onto a conventional lab diet (n-6 PUFA); half were weaned onto n-3 PUFA-enriched diet. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy measures were acquired prior to behavioural tests; glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) and tyrosine hydroxylase protein levels were measured ex vivo. The main findings were: (i) Adult MIA-exposed mice fed a standard diet had greater N-acetylaspartate/creatine (Cr) and lower myo-inositol/Cr levels in the cingulate cortex in vivo. (ii) The extent of these metabolite differences was correlated with impairment in prepulse inhibition. (iii) MIA-exposed mice on the control diet also had higher levels of anxiety and altered levels of GAD67 ex vivo. (iv) An n-3 PUFA diet prevented all the in vivo and ex vivo effects of MIA observed. Thus, n-3 PUFA dietary enrichment from early life may offer a relatively safe and non-toxic approach to limit the otherwise persistent behavioural and biochemical consequences of prenatal exposure to inflammation. This result may have translational importance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Creatine / metabolism
  • Diet, High-Fat / methods
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Gyrus Cinguli* / drug effects
  • Gyrus Cinguli* / metabolism
  • Inflammation / immunology*
  • Inositol / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / immunology*
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects* / immunology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects* / prevention & control
  • Prepulse Inhibition / drug effects
  • Protective Agents / pharmacology
  • Weaning

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • Protective Agents
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Inositol
  • N-acetylaspartate
  • Creatine