Autism-like symptoms by exposure to air pollution and valproic acid–induced in male rats
Imam B. Rahmatinia M. Shahsavani A. Khodagholi F. Hopke P.K. Bazazzpour S. Hadei M. Yarahmadi M. Abdollahifar M.-A. Torkmahalleh M.A. Kermani M. Ilkhani S. MirBehbahani S.H.
August 2022Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
2022#29Issue 3959263 - 59286 pp.
Exposure to air pollution during prenatal or neonatal periods is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to epidemiology studies. Furthermore, prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has also been found to be associated with an increased prevalence of ASD. To assess the association between simultaneous exposure to VPA and air pollutants, seven exposure groups of rats were included in current study (PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants exposed — high dose of VPA (PGE-high); PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants exposed — low dose of VPA (PGE-low); gaseous pollutants only exposed — high dose of VPA (GE-high); gaseous pollutants only exposed — low dose of VPA (GE-low); clean air exposed — high dose of VPA (CAE-high); clean air exposed — low dose of VPA (CAE-low) and clean air exposed (CAE)). The pollution-exposed rats were exposed to air pollutants from embryonic day (E0) to postnatal day 42 (PND42). In all the induced groups, decreased oxidative stress biomarkers, decreased oxytocin receptor (OXTR) levels, and increased the expression of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were found. The volumes of the cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal decreased in all induced groups in comparison to CAE. Additionally, increased numerical density of glial cells and decreased of numerical density of neurons were found in all induced groups. Results show that simultaneous exposure to air pollution and VPA can cause ASD-related behavioral deficits and air pollution reinforced the mechanism of inducing ASD ̉s in VPA-induced rat model of autism.
Autism spectrum disorder , Fine particulate matter , Interleukin 1β , OXTR protein , Tumor necrosis factor alpha , Valproic acid
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Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Air Quality and Climate Change Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, 14642, NY, United States
Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, Potsdam, 13699, NY, United States
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Environmental and Occupational Health Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Department of Environmental Health Engineering
Student Research Committee
Air Quality and Climate Change Research Center
Neuroscience Research Center
Department of Public Health Sciences
Institute for a Sustainable Environment
Department of Environmental Health Engineering
Environmental and Occupational Health Center
Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Department of Environmental Health Engineering
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