Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model
Early-life adversity may have programming effects on neuroendocrine and immune adaptation mechanisms in humans and socially living animals. Using a pig model, we investigated the effect of daily 2-h maternal and littermate deprivation from postnatal days 2–15, either alone (DA) or in a group of litt...
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/15/5212 |
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| author | Roberto Brückmann Margret Tuchscherer Armin Tuchscherer Ulrike Gimsa Ellen Kanitz |
| author_facet | Roberto Brückmann Margret Tuchscherer Armin Tuchscherer Ulrike Gimsa Ellen Kanitz |
| author_sort | Roberto Brückmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Early-life adversity may have programming effects on neuroendocrine and immune adaptation mechanisms in humans and socially living animals. Using a pig model, we investigated the effect of daily 2-h maternal and littermate deprivation from postnatal days 2–15, either alone (DA) or in a group of littermates (DG) on the neuroendocrine, immunological and behavioural responses of piglets challenged with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on day 42. LPS increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) and induced typical signs of sickness in all piglets. DA+DG piglets showed stronger signs of sickness compared to control (C) piglets. Plasma TNF-α concentrations were significantly lower in DA+DG males. In addition, the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio was significantly lower in DA than in DG and C males. Gene expression analyses showed lower hypothalamic TNF-α mRNA expression and diminished mRNA expression of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and IL-10 in the amygdala of DA+DG piglets in response to LPS. Interestingly, males showed a higher MR- and a lower IL-10 mRNA expression in the amygdala than females. The present data suggest that repeated maternal deprivation during early life may alter neuroendocrine and immune responses to acute endotoxaemia in a sex-specific manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:17:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9718f46916734f078406773b08781d42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:17:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9718f46916734f078406773b08781d422023-11-20T07:40:18ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672020-07-012115521210.3390/ijms21155212Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig ModelRoberto Brückmann0Margret Tuchscherer1Armin Tuchscherer2Ulrike Gimsa3Ellen Kanitz4Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, GermanyInstitute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, GermanyInstitute of Genetics and Biometry, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, GermanyInstitute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, GermanyInstitute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196 Dummerstorf, GermanyEarly-life adversity may have programming effects on neuroendocrine and immune adaptation mechanisms in humans and socially living animals. Using a pig model, we investigated the effect of daily 2-h maternal and littermate deprivation from postnatal days 2–15, either alone (DA) or in a group of littermates (DG) on the neuroendocrine, immunological and behavioural responses of piglets challenged with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on day 42. LPS increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) and induced typical signs of sickness in all piglets. DA+DG piglets showed stronger signs of sickness compared to control (C) piglets. Plasma TNF-α concentrations were significantly lower in DA+DG males. In addition, the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio was significantly lower in DA than in DG and C males. Gene expression analyses showed lower hypothalamic TNF-α mRNA expression and diminished mRNA expression of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and IL-10 in the amygdala of DA+DG piglets in response to LPS. Interestingly, males showed a higher MR- and a lower IL-10 mRNA expression in the amygdala than females. The present data suggest that repeated maternal deprivation during early life may alter neuroendocrine and immune responses to acute endotoxaemia in a sex-specific manner.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/15/5212maternal deprivationsocial isolationearly-life adversityinnate immunitysickness behaviourHPA axis |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Brückmann Margret Tuchscherer Armin Tuchscherer Ulrike Gimsa Ellen Kanitz Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model International Journal of Molecular Sciences maternal deprivation social isolation early-life adversity innate immunity sickness behaviour HPA axis |
| title | Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model |
| title_full | Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model |
| title_fullStr | Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model |
| title_short | Early-Life Maternal Deprivation Predicts Stronger Sickness Behaviour and Reduced Immune Responses to Acute Endotoxaemia in a Pig Model |
| title_sort | early life maternal deprivation predicts stronger sickness behaviour and reduced immune responses to acute endotoxaemia in a pig model |
| topic | maternal deprivation social isolation early-life adversity innate immunity sickness behaviour HPA axis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/15/5212 |
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