Maternal Immune Activation in Mice Only Partially Recapitulates the Autism Spectrum Disorders Symptomatology

Vigli, Daniele; Palombelli, Gianmauro; Fanelli, Sergio; Calamandrei, Gemma; Canese, Rossella; Mosca, Luciana; Scattoni, María Luisa; Ricceri, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.009

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Most of the published reports in this area have utilized the three-chamber test, which provides an easily quantifiable sociability measure reflected as a tendency to spend more time in the compartment with an unfamiliar conspecific than in the empty compartment. In line with the social deficits observed in the current experiments, poly(I:C) exposure affected sociability in adolescent [ 30 , 31 ] or adult [ 32 , 33 ] mice and in rats during early adulthood [ 34 ] (but see also [ 35 , 36 ] for the opposite results). The above-cited research reports were mainly carried out on males.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Moreover, adult poly(I:C) male mice emitted fewer calls during social interactions with either males or females [ 32 , 33 ]. However, other reports did not observe poly(I:C) effects on male mice’s USV emission during direct interactions with females [ 35 ] or when exposed to female urine [ 40 ]. While we are unaware of any studies concerned with juvenile USVs in the poly(I:C) model, social play-induced USVs were decreased in LPS exposed male offspring [ 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Effect of Maternal Immune Activation on Social Play-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Rats

et al. 2021

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Prenatal maternal infection is associated with an increased risk of various neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Maternal immune activation (MIA) can be experimentally induced by prenatal administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), a synthetic viral-like double-stranded RNA. Although this MIA model is adopted in many studies, social and communicative deficits, included in the first diagnostic criterion of ASD, are poorly described in the offspring of poly(I:C)-exposed dams. This study aimed to characterize the impact of prenatal poly(I:C) exposure on socio-communicative behaviors in adolescent rats. For this purpose, social play behavior was assessed in both males and females. We also analyzed quantitative and structural changes in ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) emitted by rats during the play test. Deficits of social play behaviors were evident only in male rats. Males also emitted a significantly decreased number of USVs during social encounters. Prenatal poly(I:C) exposure also affected acoustic call parameters, as reflected by the increased peak frequencies. Additionally, repetitive behaviors were demonstrated in autistic-like animals regardless of sex. This study demonstrates that prenatal poly(I:C) exposure impairs socio-communicative functioning in adolescent rats. USVs may be a useful tool for identifying early autistic-like abnormalities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Maternal Immune Activation on Social Play-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Rats

et al. 2021

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“…While several studies have found variable effects of MIA on the acquisition of conditioned stimulus-cued fear learning and memory [ 32 , 33 , 34 ], few studies have examined the effects of MIA on fear extinction learning. Two studies failed to find effects of prenatal poly(I:C) treatment on fear extinction [ 35 , 36 ]; however, in these studies, the length of extinction trials was limited to a single day or two days with shortened protocols. These findings are consistent with the results of this study in that the deficits in fear extinction were not immediately evident.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent THC Treatment Does Not Potentiate the Behavioral Effects in Adulthood of Maternal Immune Activation

Stollenwerk

Hillard

2021

Cells

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Both in utero exposure to maternal immune activation and cannabis use during adolescence have been associated with increased risk for the development of schizophrenia; however, whether these exposures exert synergistic effects on brain function is not known. In the present study, mild maternal immune activation (MIA) was elicited in mice with prenatal exposure to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), and ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was provided throughout adolescence in cereal (3 mg/kg/day for 5 days). Neither THC nor MIA pretreatments altered activity in assays used to characterize hyperdopaminergic states in adulthood: amphetamine hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Adolescent THC treatment elicited deficits in spatial memory and enhanced spatial reversal learning in adult female mice in the Morris water maze, while exposure to MIA elicited female-specific deficits in fear extinction learning in adulthood. There were no effects in these assays in adult males, nor were there interactions between THC and MIA in adult females. While doses of poly(I:C) and THC were sufficient to elicit behavioral effects, particularly relating to cognitive performance in females, there was no evidence that adolescent THC exposure synergized with the risk imposed by MIA to worsen behavioral outcomes in adult mice of either sex.

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“…individual difference (in absolute value) between individual value and mean value of USV rate or duration within the experimental group considered]. 48 Post-hoc comparisons were performed using Tukey's HSD test when a significant F value was determined. For all comparisons, significance was set at p < 0.05.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrasonic vocalizations in laboratory mice: strain, age, and sex differences

Caruso

Marconi

Scattoni

et al. 2022

Genes Brain and Behavior

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Mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in different social contexts across lifespan. There is ethological evidence that pup USVs elicit maternal retrieval and adult USVs facilitate social interaction with a conspecific. Analysis of mouse vocal and social repertoire across strains, sex and contexts remains not well explored. To address these issues, in inbred (C57BL/6, FVB) and outbred (CD‐1) mouse strains, we recorded and evaluated USVs as neonates and during adult social encounters (male–female and female–female social interaction). We showed significant strain differences in the quantitative (call rate and duration of USVs) and qualitative vocal analysis (spectrographic characterization) from early stage to adulthood, in line with specific patterns of social behaviors. Inbred C57BL/6 mice produced a lower number of calls with less internal changes and shorter duration; inbred FVB mice displayed more social behaviors and produced more syllables with repeated internal changes; outbred CD‐1 mice had an intermediate profile. Our results suggest specific vocal signatures in each mouse strain, thus helping to better define socio‐communicative profiles of mouse strains and to guide the choice of an appropriate strain according to the experimental settings.

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Maternal Immune Activation in Mice Only Partially Recapitulates the Autism Spectrum Disorders Symptomatology

Cited by 23 publications

References 44 publications

The Effect of Maternal Immune Activation on Social Play-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Rats

The Effect of Maternal Immune Activation on Social Play-Induced Ultrasonic Vocalization in Rats

Adolescent THC Treatment Does Not Potentiate the Behavioral Effects in Adulthood of Maternal Immune Activation

Ultrasonic vocalizations in laboratory mice: strain, age, and sex differences

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