ASTROCYTE-NEURON VULNERABILITY TO PRENATAL STRESS IN ADULT RAT BRAIN

BARROS, VG; DUHALDE VEGA, M; CALTANA, L; BRUSCO, A; ANTONELLI, MC

New York, USA

Congreso; ASN 35th Annual Meeting.; 2004

Insults suffered during the perinatal period can dramatically influence the formation of forebrain glutamate projection with the concomitant presence of reswtive astrocytes. Asotrocytes appear ti contribute to the regulation of neuronal morphology and survival, releasing S100b-pretein and glutamate. We have previously demonstrated and restraint prenatal stress inflicted during the last week of pregnancy increased glutamate receptors in rat adult offspring. Employing the same model, we have studied the presence of reactive astrocytes and the degree of dendritic arborization in the brain of adult rats. On postnatal day 90, brains were processed for immunocytochemestry using primary antibodies directed ti GFAP (the main cytskeletal astroglial protein) and MAP2 (a microtubule associated protein present in dendrities). Cell area of GFAP+ astrocytes and relative immunoreactive areas for MAP2+ fiber were measured by computer-assisted image analysis (VIDAS-Kontron) attached to a Zeiss light photomicroscopy. The results show a significant increased in astrocytic area an a significant decreased in MAP2+ area in the brain of adult rats implying the presence of reactive astrocytes and reduced dendritic arborization. These morphological changes that persist throughout the life of the rat can be interpreted as a trans-synaptic plastic response due to the impairment of the glutamatergic neurotransmission inflicted by the prenatal insult.