ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the effect of Cr supplementation on morphological changes and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and on developmental parameters. Methods: Male Wistar rat pups were submitted to an experimental model of CP. Cr was administered via gavage from the 21st to the 28th postnatal day, and in water after the 28th, until the end of the experiment. Body weight (BW), food consumption (FC), muscle strength, and locomotion were evaluated. Expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were assessed in the hippocampus by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Iba1 immunoreactivity was assessed by immunocytochemistry in the hippocampal hilus. Results: Experimental CP caused increased density and activation of microglial cells, and overexpression of IL-6. The rats with CP also presented abnormal BW development and impairment of strength and locomotion. Cr supplementation was able to reverse the overexpression of IL-6 in the hippocampus and mitigate the impairments observed in BW, strength, and locomotion. Discussion: Future studies should evaluate other neurobiological characteristics, including changes in neural precursor cells and other cytokines, both pro- and anti-inflammatory.
Acknowledgements
We also would like to thank the ‘Central Multiusuário do Departamento de Física (DF) da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE)’ for making available the reflected-light optical microscope for the analyses. and were created with BioRender.com.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, A.E.T, upon reasonable request.
Author contributions
H.J.C.B.G., B.J.R.C.-d.-S., E.E.M.V, and E.R.S conducted the experiments. H.J.C.B.G. and B.J.R.C.-d.-S. peformed the immunostaining and microscopical analyses. A.R. and L.T. carried out the real-time PCR analyses. H.J.C.B.G. analyzed the data, prepared the graphs and tables, and wrote the manuscript. O.G.-Q and A.E.T contributed to discussion. A.E.T. and R.M.-d.-C. conceptualized the study and supervised the work. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Henrique J. C. B. Gouveia
Henrique J. C. B. Gouveia is a postdoctoral student at the Postgraduate Program in Nutrition, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. His work is developed in the field of neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.
Raul Manhães-de-Castro
Raul Manhães-de-Castro is an Emeritus Professor at Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. His work is developed in the field of neuroscience, nutrition and phenotypic plasticity.
Bárbara J. R. Costa-de-Santana
Bárbara J. R. Costa-de-Santana is a doctoral student at the ‘Graduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences’, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. She carries out her work in the field of neuroscience, nutrition, and phenotypic plasticity.
Emanuel Ewerton M. Vasconcelos
Emanuel Ewerton M. Vasconcelos is a scientific initiation student and a graduate student in dentistry at the ‘Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry and Department of Prosthodontics and Oral and Facial Surgery’, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Eliesly Roberto Silva
Eliesly Roberto Silva is a scientific initiation student and a graduate student in dentistry at the ‘Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry and Department of Prosthodontics and Oral and Facial Surgery’, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Angélica Roque
Angélica Roque is an assistant researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Torner at Centro de Investigación Biomética de Michoacán’, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Morelia, Michoacán, México. She works with animal models of early life stress and inflammatory markers in the brain.
Luz Torner
Luz Torner is a Titular A Researcher at ‘Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Michoacán’, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Morelia, Michoacán, México. She carries out her studies on mechanisms that operate in the brain during stress exposure to produce the vulnerability of the individual to develop psychiatric diseases.
Omar Guzmán-Quevedo
Omar Guzmán-Quevedo is a Professor at ‘Higher Technological Institute of Tacambaro’, Tacambaro, Michoacán, Mexico. He carries out his work in the field of neuroscience, nutrition, and phenotypic plasticity, focusing on the study of the pathogenesis and therapy of metabolic disorders.
Ana E. Toscano
Ana E. Toscano is a Professor at ‘Nursing Unit, Vitória Academic Center’, and at ‘Graduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Posneuro)’, Federal University of Pernambuco. Her work is carried out in the field of neuroscience, nutrition, cerebral palsy, and phenotypic plasticity.