Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
Monitoring Astrocyte Reactivity and Proliferation in Vitro Under Ischemic-Like Conditions
Published on: October 21, 2017
Prenatal stress affects viability, activation, and chemokine signaling in astroglial cultures
Joanna E Sowa1, Joanna Ślusarczyk2, Ewa Trojan2
1Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Physiology, 12 Smętna St, 31-343 Krakow, Poland; Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, 12 Smętna St, 31-343 Krakow, Poland.
Abstract:
CXCL12/SDF-1α and CX3CL1/fractalkine are constitutively expressed in the brain, which indicates their significant functions. Emerging evidence highlights the role of astrocytes and the immune system in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. The aim of this study was to assess whether prenatal stress affects chemokine signaling, cell viability/activation, and the iNOS pathway in astroglial cultures. Our results showed that prenatal stress lowered astrocyte viability and simultaneously increased GFAP expression. Furthermore, CX3CL1 production and the CXCL12/CXCR4-7 axis were also altered by prenatal stress. Taken together, malfunctions caused by prenatal stress may adversely influence brain development, leading to long-term effects on adult brain function and behavior.
