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Updated: Dec 15, 2025
Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic PolyI:C
Published on: March 25, 2016
Involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome in schizophrenia-like behaviour in young animals after maternal immune activation
Letícia Ventura1, Viviane Freiberger1, Vinicius B Thiesen1
1Research Group in Neurodevelopment of Childhood and Adolescence, Laboratory of Experimental Neuroscience, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of South Santa Catarina, Avenida Pedra Branca, 25, Pedra Branca, 88137-270Palhoça, SC, Brazil.
Objective:
To evaluate the involvement of nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in schizophrenia-like behaviour in young animals exposed to maternal immune activation (MIA).
Methods:
To this aim, on the 15th gestational day, the females received an injection of lipopolysaccharides. When the animals completed 7, 14 and 45 postnatal days, they were killed and the whole brain was dissected for biochemical analysis. Animals with 45 postnatal days were submitted to behavioural tests of locomotor activity, social interaction and stereotyped movements.
Results:
It was observed that the animals presented schizophrenia-like behaviour at 45 postnatal days associated with the increase of NLRP3 inflammasome expression and IL-1β levels on 7, 14 and 45 postnatal days.
Conclusion:
This study shows that MIA may be associated with a schizophrenia-like behaviour. This behaviour can be induced to a neuroinflammatory profile in the brain. These evidences may base future studies on the relationship between neuroinflammation and psychiatric disorders.
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