A postpartum enriched environment rescues impaired cognition and oxidative markers in aged mice with gestational inflammation

Abstract

Introduction Previous studies have shown that gestational inflammation can accelerate age‐associated cognitive decline (AACD) in maternal mice; enriched environments (EEs) have been reported to protect normally aging mice from AACD and improve mitochondrial function. However, it is unclear whether the nitrosative stress‐related proteins tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1) and S‐nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) are involved in the accelerated aging process of gestational inflammation and whether EEs can slow this process. Methods In this study, CD‐1 female mice on the 15th day of pregnancy were injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (50 μg/kg; LPS group) or an equivalent amount of normal saline (CON group) from the abdominal cavity for 4 consecutive days. Twenty‐one days after delivery, half of the LPS‐treated mice were randomly selected for EE until the end of the behavioral experiment (LPS‐E group). When the female rats were raised to 6 months and 18 months of age, the Morris water maze (MWM) was used to detect spatial learning and memory ability; RT‐PCR and Western blots were used to measure the mRNA and protein levels of hippocampal TET1 and GSNOR. Results As for the control group, compared with 6‐month‐old mice, the spatial learning and memory ability of 18‐month‐old mice decreased, and the hippocampal TET1 and GSNOR mRNA and protein levels were decreased. Gestational inflammation exacerbated these age‐related changes, but an EE alleviated the effects. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that performance during the learning and memory periods in the MWM correlated with the levels of hippocampal TET1 and GSNOR. Conclusions Our findings suggest that gestational inflammation accelerates age‐related learning and memory impairments and that postpartum EE exposure could alleviate these changes. These effects may be related to hippocampal TET1 and GSNOR expression.

Gut microbiota in perioperative neurocognitive disorders: current evidence and future directions

“…Meanwhile, these inflammatory mediators can reduce the expression of tight junction proteins such as occulin and claudin-5, destroy the integrity of blood-brain barrier, and enter the brain to activate adaptive immune cells, leading to brain immune instability ( 31 ). In animal experiments, injecting LPS into the abdominal cavity of mice can lead to learning and memory impairment by increasing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, and the permeability of the blood-brain barrier will recover after rebuilding the balance of gut microbiota ( 32 ). It has been reported that after oral supplementation of intestinal prebiotics, the number of probiotics such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium in the intestine of PND mice increased, the level of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus decreased, and the cognitive function improved ( 33 ).…”