Effect of β-Endorphin Imprinting during Late Pregnancy on the Brain Serotonin and Plasma Nocistatin Levels of Adult Male Rats

Abstract

Female rats were treated with 10 microg of beta-endorphin on the 19th day of pregnancy. Offspring were studied when five months old. Serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) content in four brain regions were determined by HPLC-EC and the nocistatin levels of blood plasma using RIA methods. In each brain region studied, the 5-HT levels were highly significantly reduced and that of 5-HIAA in three regions was highly significantly increased. When 5HIAA/5HT ratios, as a measure of serotonin turnover, were calculated, imprinted animals showed extremely high values. Plasma nocistatin level was also significantly elevated. The results call attention to the effect of perinatal endorphin imprinting and its long-term consequences (e.g., setting of aggressiveness, pain tolerance).

Effect of perinatal stress on the biogenic amine neurotransmitter level of the adult rat's brain

“…In our earlier experiments the pain‐system was also studied. In these experiments perinatal beta‐endorphin imprinting as well as perinatal alcohol exposure provoked high plasma nocistatin level in adults (Tekes et al, 2004, 2007a). Nociceptin and nocistatin imprinting deeply influenced the serotonergic and dopaminergic system (Tekes et al, 2009c) and benzpyrene imprinting influenced serotonin and nociceptin levels (Tekes et al, 2007c).…”

“…also can bind to the receptor, provoking a false imprinting, which causes life‐long disturbances in the receptor's binding capacity and other processes, e.g., hormone production and behavior (Csaba, 2008; Csaba and Inczefi‐Gonda, 1992; Nelson et al, 1994) and can be transmitted transgenerationally (Csaba, 1980, 1984, 2000, 2008; Csaba et al, 2005). It was also cleared that perinatal treatments with different molecules which can provoke hormonal imprinting and are in connection with brain‐produced neurotransmitters and pain regulation (e.g., beta endorphin or alcohol) can cause troubles in the production of them, for life (Csaba and Tekes, 2005; Csaba et al, 2003; Tekes et al, 2006; Tekes et al, 2007a,b).…”

“…Considering this, the aim of the present experiments is to clear whether perinatal (pre‐ or postnatal) stress (food and water total withdrawal) influences the production of biogenic amine neurotransmitters in different areas of the brain in the offsprings' adult age. As in earlier experiments disturbances in the nociceptin–nocistatin system were observed after perinatal imprinting (Tekes et al, 2004, 2007a), the amount of nociceptin in the blood plasma also was studied.…”

Hormonal imprinting in the central nervous system: causes and consequences

“…A nősté-nyek szexuális aktivitása csökken endorfi nimprinting hatására. Az endorfi nimprinting jelentősen csökkenti az agyi szerotoninszintet és növeli a bomlástermék szintjét [36]. Szerotoninreuptake-gátlóval történő neonatalis imprinting befolyásolja a depressziós folyamatokat [37], csökkenti a szexuális aktivitást [38,39] és az alkoholfogyasztást.…”

“…Nocistatinimprinting hatá-sára éppen ellenkezőleg, a biogén aminszintek csökke-nése domináns [44]. Más anyagokkal történő perinatalis imprinting ugyancsak befolyásolja a késői agyi nocistatinszintet, amely benzpirénimprinting hatására szignifikánsan csökken a liquorban mérve [45], és béta-endorfi n-imprinting hatására nő a vérplazmában [36]. …”