The GABAB receptor agonist STX209 reverses the autismlike behaviour in an animal model of autism induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid.
Mol Med Rep
; 25(5)2022 05.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35244195
ABSTRACT
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social interaction, compromised communication, and restrictive or stereotyped behaviours and interests. Due to the complex pathophysiology of ASD, there are currently no available medical therapies for improving the associated social deficits. Consequently, the present study investigated the effects of STX209, a selective γaminobutyric acid type B receptor (GABABR2) agonist, on an environmental rodent model of autism. The mouse model of autism induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) was used to assess the therapeutic potential of STX209 on autismlike behaviour in the present study. This study investigated the effects of STX209 on VPA model mice via behavioral testing and revealed a significant reversal of core/associated autismlike behavior, including sociability and preference for social novelty, novelty recognition, locomotion and exploration activity and marbleburying deficit. This may be associated with STX209 correcting dendritic arborization, spine density and GABABR2 expression in hippocampus of VPA model mice. However, expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65/67 in the hippocampus were not altered by STX209. The present results demonstrated that STX209 administration ameliorated autismlike symptoms in mice exposed to VPA prenatally, suggesting that autismlike symptoms in children with a history of prenatal VPA exposure may also benefit from treatment with the GABABR2 agonist STX209.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
/
Autistic Disorder
/
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Pregnancy
Language:
En
Journal:
Mol Med Rep
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article