Early-postnatal iron deficiency impacts plasticity in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in piglets

• Published in: International journal of developmental neuroscience 2017-06, Vol.59 (1), p.47-51
• Main Authors: Nelissen, Ellis, De Vry, Jochen, Antonides, Alexandra, Paes, Dean, Schepers, Melissa, van der Staay, Franz Josef, Prickaerts, Jos, Vanmierlo, Tim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - complications; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - etiology; Animals; Animals, Newborn; BDNF; Brain; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition Disorders - etiology; Cognition Disorders - metabolism; Cognition Disorders - pathology; Cognitive ability; CREB-Binding Protein - metabolism; Cyclic AMP response element-binding protein; Depletion; Disease Models, Animal; Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - physiology; Hippocampal plasticity; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - growth & development; Hippocampus - metabolism; Hogs; Iron; Iron deficiency; Male; Neuronal plasticity; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Nutrient deficiency; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Pig; Plastic properties; Plasticity; Prefrontal cortex; Proteins; Swine; Synaptophysin - metabolism; TrkB receptors; Tyrosine
• ISSN: 0736-5748; 1873-474X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.03.006

In this study, we investigated whether alterations in plasticity markers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) are underlying iron deficiency (ID)-induced cognitive impairments in iron depleted piglets. Newborn piglets were either fed an iron-depleted diet (21mg Fe/kg) or an iron-sufficient diet (88mg Fe/kg) for four weeks. Subsequently, eight weeks after iron repletion (190–240mg Fe/kg) we found a significant decrease in mature BDNF (14kDa) and proBDNF (18kDa and 24kDa) protein levels in the ventral hippocampus, whereas we found increases in the dorsal hippocampus. The phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) follows the mature BDNF protein level pattern. No effects were found on BDNF and CREB protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. The protein levels of the high affinity BDNF receptor, TrkB, was significantly decreased in both dorsal and ventral hippocampus of ID piglets, whereas it was increased in the prefrontal cortex. Together, our data suggest a disrupted hippocampal plasticity upon postnatal ID.