The effect of maternal immune activation on the expression of inflammatory factors in the striatum of male offspring in lipopolysaccharide-induced experimental model of schizophrenia

Abstract

Introduction Recently, epidemiological studies, as well as experimental animal models, have identified the gestational infection as a particular risk factor for the development of schizophrenia in the offspring. Besides, several studies have demonstrated the association between schizophrenia and inflammation. Using a rat model of maternal immune activation (MIA) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the present study evaluated the effect of MIA on the expression of several pro-inflammatory markers in the striatum of male offspring. Materials and Methods Pregnant rats were intraperitoneally administered with either saline or LPS (500µg/kg) on gestation days 15 and 16. At postnatal day 60, male offspring were humanely killed, and the gene expression of inflammatory mediators was evaluated in the striatum. Results Male rats born to LPS-challenged mothers showed significantly increased expression of NF-κβ، IL-6، IL-1β, and TNFα in the striatum compared to the control group. Conclusion Collectively, these results support the idea that prenatal immune challenge induces increased inflammatory markers in the striatum of the resulting offspring.

Keywords

• schizophrenia
• pro-inflammatory markers
• striatum
• maternal immune activation
• lipopolysaccharide