The cognitive impairment induced by zinc deficiency in rats aged 0â¼2 months related to BDNF DNA methylation changes in the hippocampus.
Nutr Neurosci
; 20(9): 519-525, 2017 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27329329
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
This study was carried out to understand the effects of zinc deficiency in rats aged 0â¼2 months on learning and memory, and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene methylation status in the hippocampus.METHODS:
The lactating mother rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 12) zinc-adequate group (ZA zinc 30â mg/kg diet), zinc-deprived group (ZD zinc 1â mg/kg diet), and a pair-fed group (PF zinc 30â mg/kg diet), in which the rats were pair-fed to those in the ZD group. After weaning (on day 23), offspring were fed the same diets as their mothers. After 37 days, the zinc concentrations in the plasma and hippocampus were measured, and the behavioral function of the offspring rats was measured using the passive avoidance performance test. We then assessed the DNA methylation patterns of the exon IX of BDNF by methylation-specific quantitative real-time PCR and the mRNA expression of BDNF in the hippocampus by RT-PCR.RESULTS:
Compared with the ZA and PF groups, rats in the ZD group had shorter latency period, lower zinc concentrations in the plasma and hippocampus (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the DNA methylation of the BDNF exon IX was significantly increased in the ZD group, compared with the ZA and PF groups, whereas the expression of the BDNF mRNA was decreased. In addition, the DNMT1â mRNA expression was significantly upregulated and DNMT3A was downregulated in the ZD group, but not in the ZA and PF groups.CONCLUSION:
The learning and memory damage in offspring may be a result of the epigenetic changes of the BDNF genes in response to the zinc-deficient diet during 0â¼2 month period. Furthermore, this work supports the speculative notion that altered DNA methylation of BDNF in the hippocampus is one of the main causes of cognitive impairment by zinc deficiency.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Zinco
/
Fator Neurotrófico Derivado do Encéfalo
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Metilação de DNA
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Deficiências Nutricionais
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Disfunção Cognitiva
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Hipocampo
/
Neurônios
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nutr Neurosci
Assunto da revista:
CIENCIAS DA NUTRICAO
/
NEUROLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
China