Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring
An increased intake of the antioxidant α-Tocopherol (vitamin E) is recommended in complicated pregnancies, to prevent free radical damage to mother and fetus. However, the anti-PKC and antimitotic activity of α-Tocopherol raises concerns about its potential effects on brain development. Recently, we...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2014-05-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Histochemistry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ejh.it/index.php/ejh/article/view/2355 |
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| author | S. Salucci P. Ambrogini D. Lattanzi M. Betti P. Gobbi C. Galati F. Galli R. Cuppini A. Minelli |
| author_facet | S. Salucci P. Ambrogini D. Lattanzi M. Betti P. Gobbi C. Galati F. Galli R. Cuppini A. Minelli |
| author_sort | S. Salucci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An increased intake of the antioxidant α-Tocopherol (vitamin E) is recommended in complicated pregnancies, to prevent free radical damage to mother and fetus. However, the anti-PKC and antimitotic activity of α-Tocopherol raises concerns about its potential effects on brain development. Recently, we found that maternal dietary loads of α-Tocopherol through pregnancy and lactation cause developmental deficit in hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rat offspring. The defect persisted into adulthood, with behavioral alterations in hippocampus-dependent learning. Here, using the same rat model of maternal supplementation, ultrastructural morphometric studies were carried out to provide mechanistic interpretation to such a functional impairment in adult offspring by the occurrence of long-term changes in density and morphological features of hippocampal synapses. Higher density of axo-spinous synapses was found in CA1 stratum radiatum of α-Tocopherol-exposed rats compared to controls, pointing to a reduced synapse pruning. No morphometric changes were found in synaptic ultrastructural features, i.e., perimeter of axon terminals, length of synaptic specializations, extension of bouton-spine contact. Glia-synapse anatomical relationship was also affected. Heavier astrocytic coverage of synapses was observed in Tocopherol-treated offspring, notably surrounding axon terminals; moreover, the percentage of synapses contacted by astrocytic endfeet at bouton-spine interface (tripartite synapses) was increased. These findings indicate that gestational and neonatal exposure to supranutritional tocopherol intake can result in anatomical changes of offspring hippocampus that last through adulthood. These include a surplus of axo-spinous synapses and an aberrant glia-synapse relationship, which may represent the morphological signature of previously described alterations in synaptic plasticity and hippocampus-dependent learning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:02:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-18be2749450b4b4b95a4b08f61b0f405 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1121-760X 2038-8306 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:02:27Z |
| publishDate | 2014-05-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Histochemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-18be2749450b4b4b95a4b08f61b0f4052022-12-21T23:17:54ZengPAGEPress PublicationsEuropean Journal of Histochemistry1121-760X2038-83062014-05-0158210.4081/ejh.2014.23551399Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspringS. Salucci0P. Ambrogini1D. Lattanzi2M. Betti3P. Gobbi4C. Galati5F. Galli6R. Cuppini7A. Minelli8University of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of PerugiaUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoUniversity of Urbino Carlo BoAn increased intake of the antioxidant α-Tocopherol (vitamin E) is recommended in complicated pregnancies, to prevent free radical damage to mother and fetus. However, the anti-PKC and antimitotic activity of α-Tocopherol raises concerns about its potential effects on brain development. Recently, we found that maternal dietary loads of α-Tocopherol through pregnancy and lactation cause developmental deficit in hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rat offspring. The defect persisted into adulthood, with behavioral alterations in hippocampus-dependent learning. Here, using the same rat model of maternal supplementation, ultrastructural morphometric studies were carried out to provide mechanistic interpretation to such a functional impairment in adult offspring by the occurrence of long-term changes in density and morphological features of hippocampal synapses. Higher density of axo-spinous synapses was found in CA1 stratum radiatum of α-Tocopherol-exposed rats compared to controls, pointing to a reduced synapse pruning. No morphometric changes were found in synaptic ultrastructural features, i.e., perimeter of axon terminals, length of synaptic specializations, extension of bouton-spine contact. Glia-synapse anatomical relationship was also affected. Heavier astrocytic coverage of synapses was observed in Tocopherol-treated offspring, notably surrounding axon terminals; moreover, the percentage of synapses contacted by astrocytic endfeet at bouton-spine interface (tripartite synapses) was increased. These findings indicate that gestational and neonatal exposure to supranutritional tocopherol intake can result in anatomical changes of offspring hippocampus that last through adulthood. These include a surplus of axo-spinous synapses and an aberrant glia-synapse relationship, which may represent the morphological signature of previously described alterations in synaptic plasticity and hippocampus-dependent learning.http://www.ejh.it/index.php/ejh/article/view/2355Vitamin ECA1 stratum radiatumaxo-spinous synapsesglia-synapse relationshiptripartite synapsesmorphometryelectron microscopy. |
| spellingShingle | S. Salucci P. Ambrogini D. Lattanzi M. Betti P. Gobbi C. Galati F. Galli R. Cuppini A. Minelli Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring European Journal of Histochemistry Vitamin E CA1 stratum radiatum axo-spinous synapses glia-synapse relationship tripartite synapses morphometry electron microscopy. |
| title | Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| title_full | Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| title_fullStr | Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| title_short | Maternal dietary loads of alpha-tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| title_sort | maternal dietary loads of alpha tocopherol increase synapse density and glial synaptic coverage in the hippocampus of adult offspring |
| topic | Vitamin E CA1 stratum radiatum axo-spinous synapses glia-synapse relationship tripartite synapses morphometry electron microscopy. |
| url | http://www.ejh.it/index.php/ejh/article/view/2355 |
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