Pre-natal antibiotic exposure in mother rat affects microglial development and induces anxiety-like behavior in offspring
10.16557/j.cnki.1000-7547.2025.03.002
- VernacularTitle:孕前母鼠抗生素暴露影响仔鼠小胶质细胞发育并导致焦虑样行为
- Author:
Yiming ZHANG
1
;
Xiaoang LI
1
;
Cunzheng ZHANG
1
;
Liping DUAN
1
Author Information
1. 北京大学第三医院消化科,北京 100191;北京大学第三医院幽门螺杆菌感染与上消化道疾病北京市重点实验室,北京 100191
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
pre-natal;
antibiotics;
microglia;
anxiety-like behaviors;
offspring rat
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neuroanatomy
2025;41(3):272-280
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the effects of maternal antibiotics during the pre-natal period on the develop-ment of microglia and anxiety-like behaviors in offspring.Methods:Female SD rats were randomly divided into a maternal control group(CON-M)and a maternal antibiotic group(ABX-M),with 5 rats in each group.The antibiotic group received oral administration of compound antibiotics for 7 days before conception,and the control group received oral administration of the same dose of 0.9％saline during the same period.Subsequently,the two groups of female rats completed the pregnancy and delivery process at the same time,and their male offspring were retained and marked as the offspring control group(CON-O)and the offspring antibiotic group(ABX-O),respectively.The anxiety-like behaviors of offspring rats at 4 weeks and 8 weeks of age were evaluated by open field test and elevated plus maze test,respectively.The number and morphology of microglia in the hippocampus(HIP),cingulate gyrus(CG)and basolater-al nucleus of amygdale(BLA)of the brain of each group of offspring rats were detected by laser confocal microscopy im-aging.Results:The body weight and number of offspring were reduced in the ABX-M group.The 4-week-old ABX-O group showed an increase in anxiety-like behaviors,accompanied by an increase in the number and immature phenotype of microglia in the hippocampus,cingulate gyrus,and amygdala.Compared with the 8-week-old CON-O group,the 8-week-old ABX-O group showed obvious anxiety-like behaviors,and the number and immature phenotype of microglia in the hippocampus,cingulate gyrus,and amygdala of the brain continued to increase.Conclusion:Maternal antibiotic exposure during the pre-pregnancy period significantly affects the number and maturation of microglia in offspring,lead-ing to anxiety-like behaviors,and its effects can persist into adulthood.
