Partial Reversal of Striatal Damage by Palmitoylethanolamide Administration Following Perinatal Asphyxia

UDOVIN, LUCAS D(PRIMERA AUTORÍA COMPARTIDA); KOBIEC TAMARA (PRIMERA AUTORÍA COMPARTIDA); HERRERA, MARÍA I.; TORO-URREGO, NICOLÁS; KUSNIER, CARLOS F.; KÖLLIKER-FRERS, RODOLFO A.; RAMOS-HRYB, ANA B.; LUACES, JUAN P.; OTERO-LOSADA, MATILDE; CAPANI, FRANCISCO

Frontiers in Neuroscience

Frontiers in Neuroscience

Año: 2020 vol. 13

Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is a clinical condition brought by a birth temporary oxygendeprivation associated with long-term damage in the corpus striatum, one of themost compromised brain areas. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a neuromodulator wellknown for its protective effects in brain injury models, including PA, albeit not deeplystudied regarding its particular effects in the corpus striatum following PA. UsingBjelke et al. (1991) PA model, full-term pregnant rats were decapitated, and uterushorns were placed in a water bath at 37◦C for 19 min. One hour later, the pups wereinjected with PEA 10 mg/kg s.c., and placed with surrogate mothers. After 30 days,the animals were perfused, and coronal striatal sections were collected to analyzeprotein-level expression by Western blot and the reactive area by immunohistochemistryfor neuron markers: phosphorylated neurofilament-heavy/medium-chain (pNF-H/M) andmicrotubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), and the astrocyte marker, glial fibrillary acidicprotein (GFAP). Results indicated that PA produced neuronal damage and morphologicalchanges. Asphyctic rats showed a decrease in pNF-H/M and MAP-2 reactive areas,GFAP+ cells number, and MAP-2 as well as pNF-H/M protein expression in the striatum.Treatment with PEA largely restored the number of GFAP+ cells. Most important, itameliorated the decrease in pNF-H/M and MAP-2 reactive areas in asphyctic rats.Noticeably, PEA treatment reversed the decrease in MAP-2 protein expression andlargely prevented PA-induced decrease in pNF-H/M protein expression. PA did not affectthe GFAP protein level. Treatment with PEA attenuated striatal damage induced by PA,suggesting its therapeutic potential for the prevention of neurodevelopmental disorders.