Maternal feeding patterns affect the offspring's brain: focus on serotonin 5-HT_2C and 5-HT_2A receptors

Recent studies have shown a relationship between the composition of the maternal diet and acquiring a risk of mental illnesses through changes in the offspring's brain. This study assessed the role of a modified maternal diet on the levels of serotonin (5-HT)_2C and 5-HT_2A receptors in the offspring brain.

Wistar rat dams during gestation and lactation were maintained either on a standard (SD) or special diets: high-fat (HFD), high-carbohydrate (rich in sucrose, HCD) or mixed (MD). Offspring were weaned to SD after lactation, and at postnatal days (PNDs) 28 and 63 changes in the 5-HT_2C and 5-HT_2A receptor levels were evaluated in their prefrontal cortex (PFCx), nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (DSTR) and hippocampus (HIP).

Maternal HFD reduced the expression of 5-HT_2C receptors in male rats at PND 28 in the PFCx, NAc, and DSTR but increased it at PND 63 in male animals in the NAc and DSTR. HCD induced a decrease in the expression of 5-HT_2C receptors in male offspring at PND 28 but increased it in female rats at PND 63 in the PFCx. MD reduced 5-HT_2C receptor expression in males at PND 28 in the PFCx and increased it in male and female offspring at PND 28 in the HIP. Moreover, maternal HFD reduced 5-HT_2A receptor levels within the PFCx in adolescent male offspring.

Our findings indicate that a modified maternal diet induces age- and sex-specific adaptive changes mainly in 5-HT_2C receptors, which may contribute to disturbances in the offspring brain.