EFFECT OF POSTNATAL STRESS IN PRENATALLY STRESSED RATS ON HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-GONADAL AXIS AND LYMPHOCYTES IMMUNE FUNCTION

FALCONE, E; BERTUZZI, M; ASHWORTH, G; BERARDO, D; HUCK, G; POLONI, L; RODRIGUEZ, N; BOSCH, P; GAUNA, HF; MAYER, N

Congreso; XVII Annual Scientific Meeting, Cordoba Biology Society. CORDOBA - ARGENTINA; 2009

Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba

Alterations induced by prenatal stress in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) could change in long-term on hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) and in offspring immune function. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of postnatal stress on luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (TES) levels and cellular immune activity in adult rats prenatally stressed (EP). Males of three months of age were used, offspring of mothers stressed (EP) by immobilization (IMO) during pregnancy, and their control (CP). All groups were under acute postnatal IMO stress (20 minutes). Corticosterone (COR), LH and TES levels were determined before and after that stress were realized. Also the lymphocytes proliferation was studied. The TES and LH levels decreased in EP animals. This effect was negatively correlated with the COR levels. Postnatal stressdiminished the lymphocytes proliferation in vitro in the animal EP. In conclusion, alterations induced by prenatal stress in HHA activity decreased HHG axis activity. Postnatal stress in EP animal diminished the cellular immunity functional response.