BACKGROUND: Prenatal stress can cause neurobiological and behavioral defects in offspring; environmental factors play a crucial role in regulating the development of brain and behavioral; this study was designed to test and verify whether an enriched environment can repair learning and memory impairment in offspring rats induced by prenatal stress and to explore its mechanism involving the expression of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2) and activity-regulated cytoskeletal-associated protein (Arc) in the hippocampus of the offspring. METHODS: Rats were selected to establish a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model during pregnancy. Offspring were weaned on 21st day and housed under either standard or an enriched environment. The learning and memory ability were tested using Morris water maze and Y-maze. The expression of IGF-2 and Arc mRNA and protein were respectively measured by using RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: There was an elevation in the plasma corticosterone level of rat model of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy. Maternal stress's offspring exposed to an enriched environment could decrease their plasma corticosterone level and improve their weight. The offspring of maternal stress during pregnancy exhibited abnormalities in Morris water maze and Y-maze, which were improved in an enriched environment. The expression of IGF-2, Arc mRNA, and protein in offspring of maternal stress during pregnancy was boosted and some relationships existed between these parameters after being exposed enriched environment. CONCLUSIONS The learning and memory impairment in offspring of prenatal stress can be rectified by the enriched environment, the mechanism of which is related to the decreasing plasma corticosterone and increasing hippocampal IGF-2 and Arc of offspring rats following maternal chronic stress during pregnancy.
Animals ; Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism* ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/metabolism* ; Learning ; Learning Disabilities/psychology* ; Male ; Memory Disorders/psychology* ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism* ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/psychology* ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Social Environment ; Stress, Psychological/genetics*

Objective:to apply Fuzhengkangai AIDS particles combined therapy with effective antiretroviral therapy (HAART) at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) patients,observe its clinical curative effect and improve the related adverse reactions.Methods:a multicenter,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled clinical research method,divided into experimental group and the control group (n =57),experimental group to "Fuzhengkangai particles" joint efficient antiretroviral therapy (HAART) antiviral treatment,control group to "Fuzhengkangai particles" placebo (5％ low dose) joint efficient antiretroviral therapy (HAART) antiviral treatment,treatment for 3 months.Two groups of patients with simultaneous liver and kidney function,blood routine,CD4 + T lymphocyte count,the observation of TCM symptoms and signs,survival quality of integral.Results:after 12 weeks of treatment,the control group and experimental group,the experimental group significantly elevated levels of peripheral blood RBC,lower levels of CR,reduce the signs and symptoms (total score,fatigue,stay,and spontaneous perspiration)integral,higher levels of CD4 + T lymphocyte count and survival quality score,the difference had statistical significance (p ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:Fuzhengkangai particles joint efficient antiretroviral therapy (HAART) antiviral treatment,can improve HAART after initial treatment of the patient's clinical symptoms,blood toxicity,the quality of survival,reduce the antiviral treatment of adverse reactions,combination drug alone can significantly increase the CD4 + T lymphocytes,so as to improve clinical curative effect.