Introduction: Uteroplacental Insufficiency (UPI) produces critical neurodevelopmental problems affecting the Intrauterine Growth Restricted (IUGR) in offspring. This study aimed to investigate the possible neuroprotective roles of Hesperidin (Hes) on the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model.
Methods: In this experimental study, 40 pregnant Wistar rats (age: ~40 days, Mean±SD weight: 180±10 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n= 8/group). The study groups included control (normal saline, orally), UPI+NS (uterine vessel ligation+normal saline, orally), UPI+HES25, UPI+HES50, and UPI+HES100 (uterine vessel ligation+25, 50 and 100 mg/kg Hes, orally). After being anesthetized by ketamine and xylazine, UPI was induced by permanent bilateral closure of the uterine vessels on Gestation Day (GD) 18. From GD15, the Hes/NS-treated groups received Hes/normal saline until GD21. On GD21, the uterus, placenta, and fetus were dissected out and weighed. The oxidative stress parameters, including Catalase (CAT) activity, Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were measured in the fetal cerebral cortex. The expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B (TrkB) was assessed by RT qPCR methods. The obtained data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post hoc test.
Results: The present study findings identified a significant difference in the uterine and fetus weight in Hes-treated mothers (P< 0.05). In the fetus, Hes reduced MDA, and increased CAT activity and TAC (P˂0.001 in the UPI+Hes100 group, compared to the UPI+NS group). UPI reduced BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, Significant increases in BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression were observed after administrating Hes in the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model, in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Hes, as a neuroprotective and antioxidant agent, accelerates BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway and suppresses oxidative stress parameters in the cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model.
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● Hesperidin accelerates the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway.
● Improved BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway can ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases.
● Hesperidin suppresses oxidative stress parameters in the fetal cerebral cortex of the UPI rat model.
● Hesperidin is effective in reducing cerebral cortex damage with its antioxidant role.
● Hesperidin can be effective in reducing UPI-induced cerebral cortex damage.
Plain Language Summary
The abnormal fetal growth etiology and its mechanism, i.e., Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR), remain unclear. IUGR produces significant neurodevelopmental deficits affecting the IUGR offspring’s cerebral cortex. Furthermore, compounds, including Hesperidin (Hes) (of different antimicrobial & antioxidant properties) might present neuroprotective effects. In this study, initially, the UPI model was created by bilateral uterine vessel ligation, then the study rats were given oral Hes. Hes caused uterine and embryo weight gain in the UPI model. Analyzing antioxidant parameters suggested that the Catalase (CAT) activity and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) increased, and Malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased after Hes administration in the fetal cerebral cortex. BDNF plays a crucial role in brain development, including neural migration, neurogenesis, and synapse formation in the antenatal and postnatal. Hesperidin also increased BDNF and its receptor, TrkB, in the UPI model. In general, the collected results indicated that Hes could effectively reduce the IUGR-induced cerebral cortex damage. Additionally, Hes may provide the beneficial therapeutic potential to inhibit and treat the neurodegenerative disorders associated with intrauterine growth restriction.
Type of Study:
Original |
Subject:
Cognitive Neuroscience Received: 2019/11/9 | Accepted: 2021/06/13 | Published: 2021/07/1