Age and Sex Characteristics of the Blood Cytokine Profile in Rats Subjected to Prenatal Stress

Parameters of blood cytokine profile in male and female rats subjected to prenatal stress on the model of swimming in cold water (10°C, 5 min, days 10-16 of gestation) were studied. Prenatal stress had no significant effects on the blood levels of IL-6 and IL-10 cytokines. The blood concentration of proinflammatory cytokine TNFα in 60-day-old rats was higher than in age-matched controls. Stress led to a lower level of anti-inflammatory IL-4 in the blood of 30-day-old males compared to controls. In female rats subjected to prenatal stress, the concentration of IL-4 decreased on day 21, but increased by day 60 of postnatal ontogeny. Specific effects of prenatal stress on the blood cytokine profile in male and female animals at different periods of ontogeny were revealed. Different and even opposite changes in blood cytokine levels could be largely mediated by sex- and age-specific features of immune functions after prenatal stress.