Maternal Acrylamide Exposure Modulates Parvalbumin-Positive Interneurons in the Subiculum and Hippocampus of Rat...

Acrylamide is a neurotoxic compound formed during thermal food processing that can cross the placental barrier and potentially affect fetal brain development. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal acrylamide exposure on parvalbumin-immunoreactive (PV-IR) neurons in the pyramidal layer of the subiculum (Sub) and hippocampus of weaning rats. Pregnant Wistar rats received 3 mg/kg b.w. of acrylamide orally for 5 or 10 days during the prenatal period. After weaning, offspring brains were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, morphometry, and quantitative assessment of PV-IR neuron density and staining intensity in the pyramidal layers of the Sub, Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1), and Cornu Ammonis 3 (CA3). The results demonstrated a significant increase in PV-IR neuron density in the Sub and CA1 after prolonged maternal exposure, accompanied by a predominance of weakly stained cells and decreased mean immunostaining intensity. Morphometric analyses revealed region-specific changes: enlarged cell area and perimeter with reduced nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio in the Sub, whereas CA1 and CA3 showed smaller cell dimensions and altered shapes. In conclusion, maternal acrylamide exposure is associated with region-dependent alterations in the morphology and immunoreactivity of PV-IR neurons within the offspring hippocampus.