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Region-specific sex modulation of central oxytocin receptor by gut microbiota: An ontogenic study.

Effah, F; de Gusmão Taveiros Silva, NK; Camarini, R; Joly, F; Rabot, S; Bombail, V; Bailey, A (2021) Region-specific sex modulation of central oxytocin receptor by gut microbiota: An ontogenic study. Dev Neurobiol, 81 (2). pp. 149-163. ISSN 1932-846X https://doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22805
SGUL Authors: Bailey, Alexis

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Abstract

Oxytocin (OT) is a developmentally important neuropeptide recognized to play a dominant role in social functioning and stress-related behaviors, in a sex-dependent manner. Nonetheless, the underlining factors driving OT and OT receptor (OTR) early brain development remain unclear. Recent evidence highlight the critical influence of gut microbiota and its bidirectional interaction with the brain on neurodevelopment via the gut microbiota-brain axis. Therefore, we aimed to determine the impact of gut microbiota on the OTR system of the rat brain at different developmental stages in a pilot study. Quantitative OTR [125 I]-OVTA autoradiographic binding was carried out in the forebrain of male and female conventional (CON) and germ-free (GF) rats at postnatal days (PND) 8, 22, and 116-150. OTR binding was also assessed in the eyes of PND 1 and PND 4 GF female rats. Significant "microbiota × sex × region" interaction and age-dependent effects on OTR binding were demonstrated. Microbiota status influenced OTR levels in males but not females with higher levels of OTR observed in GF versus CON rats in the cingulate, prelimbic, and lateral/medial/ventral orbital cortex, and septum across all age groups, while sex differences were observed in GF, but not in CON rats. Interestingly, OTRs present in the eyes of CON rats were abolished in GF rats. This is the first study to uncover a sex-specific role of gut microbiota on the central OTR system, which may have implications in understanding the developmental neuroadaptations critical for behavioral regulation and the etiology of certain neurodevelopmental disorders.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: © 2021 The Authors. Developmental Neurobiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords: germ-free, microbiota, oxytocin receptor, quantitative autoradiography, rat brain, receptor ontogeny, Neurology & Neurosurgery, 1109 Neurosciences, 1116 Medical Physiology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: Academic Structure > Institute of Medical & Biomedical Education (IMBE)
Academic Structure > Institute of Medical & Biomedical Education (IMBE) > Centre for Biomedical Education (INMEBE)
Journal or Publication Title: Dev Neurobiol
ISSN: 1932-846X
Language: eng
Dates:
DateEvent
17 March 2021Published
18 January 2021Published Online
26 December 2020Accepted
Publisher License: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Projects:
Project IDFunderFunder ID
UNSPECIFIEDSt. George's University of LondonUNSPECIFIED
UNSPECIFIEDMRes Translational MedicineUNSPECIFIED
PubMed ID: 33389811
Go to PubMed abstract
URI: https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/112764
Publisher's version: https://doi.org/10.1002/dneu.22805

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