Blockage of VIP during mouse embryogenesis modifies adult behavior and results in permanent changes in brain chemistry

Joanna M. Hill, Janet M. Hauser, Lia M. Sheppard, Daniel Abebe, Irit Spivak-Pohis, Michal Kushnir, Iris Deitch, Illana Gozes*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) regulates growth and development during the early postimplantation period of mouse embryogenesis. Blockage of VIP with a VIP antagonist during this period results in growth restriction, microcephaly, and developmental delays. Similar treatment of neonatal rodents also causes developmental delays and impaired diurnal rhythms, and the adult brains of these animals exhibit neuronal dystrophy and increased VIP binding. These data suggest that blockage of VIP during the development of the nervous system can result in permanent changes to the brain. In the current study, pregnant mice were treated with a VIP antagonist during embryonic days 8 through 10. The adult male offspring were examined in tests of novelty, paired activity, and social recognition. Brain tissue was examined for several measures of chemistry and gene expression of VIP and related compounds. Glial cells from the cortex of freated newborn mice were plated with neurons and examined for VIP binding and their ability to enhance neuronal survival. Treated adult male mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior and deficits in social behavior. Brain tissue exhibited regionally specific changes in VIP chemistry and a trend toward increased gene expression of VIP and related compounds that reached statistical significance in the VIP receptor, VPAC-1, in the female cortex. When compared to control astrocytes, astrocytes from treated cerebral cortex produced further increases in neuronal survival with excess synaptic connections and reduced VIP binding. In conclusion, impaired VIP activity during mouse embryogenesis resulted in permanent changes to both adult brain chemistry/cell biology and behavior with aspects of autism-like social deficits.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)183-200
Number of pages18
JournalJournal of Molecular Neuroscience
Volume31
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2007

Funding

FundersFunder number
Allon Therapeutics Inc.
Sackler Faculty of Medicine/Tel-Aviv University in Women’s Health
National Institutes of Health
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation
Israel Science Foundation

    Keywords

    • Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP)
    • Anxiety-like behavior
    • Autism
    • Neurodevelopmental disorders
    • Neuronal survival
    • Social behavior
    • Synaptogenesis

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Blockage of VIP during mouse embryogenesis modifies adult behavior and results in permanent changes in brain chemistry'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this