Maternal vitamin D deficiency alters fetal brain development in the BALB/c mouse. 2015

Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia.

Prenatal exposure to vitamin D is thought to be critical for optimal fetal neurodevelopment, yet vitamin D deficiency is apparent in a growing proportion of pregnant women. The aim of this study was to determine whether a mouse model of vitamin D-deficiency alters fetal neurodevelopment. Female BALB/c mice were placed on either a vitamin D control (2,195 IU/kg) or deficient (0 IU/kg) diet for 5 weeks prior to and during pregnancy. Fetal brains were collected at embryonic day (E) 14.5 or E17.5 for morphological and gene expression analysis. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy reduced fetal crown-rump length and head size. Moreover, lateral ventricle volume was reduced in vitamin D-deficient foetuses. Expression of neurotrophin genes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) and transforming growth factor-β1 (Tgf-β1) was altered, with Bdnf reduced at E14.5 and increased at E17.5 following vitamin D deficiency. Brain expression of forkhead box protein P2 (Foxp2), a gene known to be important in human speech and language, was also altered. Importantly, Foxp2 immunoreactive cells in the developing cortex were reduced in vitamin D-deficient female foetuses. At E17.5, brain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression was reduced in females, as was TH protein localization (to identify dopamine neurons) in the substantia nigra of vitamin D-deficient female foetuses. Overall, we show that prenatal vitamin D-deficiency leads to alterations in fetal mouse brain morphology and genes related to neuronal survival, speech and language development, and dopamine synthesis. Vitamin D appears to play an important role in mouse neurodevelopment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007150 Immunohistochemistry Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents. Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008297 Male Males
D008807 Mice, Inbred BALB C An inbred strain of mouse that is widely used in IMMUNOLOGY studies and cancer research. BALB C Mice, Inbred,BALB C Mouse, Inbred,Inbred BALB C Mice,Inbred BALB C Mouse,Mice, BALB C,Mouse, BALB C,Mouse, Inbred BALB C,BALB C Mice,BALB C Mouse
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248 Pregnancy Complications Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases. Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D012097 Repressor Proteins Proteins which maintain the transcriptional quiescence of specific GENES or OPERONS. Classical repressor proteins are DNA-binding proteins that are normally bound to the OPERATOR REGION of an operon, or the ENHANCER SEQUENCES of a gene until a signal occurs that causes their release. Repressor Molecules,Transcriptional Silencing Factors,Proteins, Repressor,Silencing Factors, Transcriptional
D001835 Body Weight The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms. Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D005260 Female Females

Related Publications

Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
October 1992, Archives francaises de pediatrie,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
January 2018, Food & nutrition research,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
August 2011, Seminars in cell & developmental biology,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
June 2013, Seminars in fetal & neonatal medicine,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
July 2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
June 2007, International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
January 2021, JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
April 2019, Brain structure & function,
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
August 1988, Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950),
Jazmin E Hawes, and Dijana Tesic, and Andrew J Whitehouse, and Graeme R Zosky, and Jeremy T Smith, and Caitlin S Wyrwoll
January 2015, Maternal and child health journal,
Copied contents to your clipboard!