Effects of prenatal taurine supplementation on the expression of protein kinase A-Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, c-fos in fetal rat brain with intrauterine growth restriction and its significance

Abstract

Objective To explore the effects of prenatal taurine supplementation on the expression of protein kinase A(PKA) and c-fos, Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ(GaMKⅡ) in fetal rat brains with intraute-rine growth restriction and its significance. Methods Fifteen pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group, the intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) group and the IUGR with prenatal taurine supplementation group(the taurine group), with 5 fetal rats in each group.All the fifteen fetal rat brains were detected as following: the expression of PKA, c-fos, CaMK Ⅱ mRNA in fetal rat brains was detected by way of real-time polymerase chain reaction(real-time PCR), while the expression changes of PKA, CaMK II, and c-fos protein in fetal rat brains were detected by using Western blot, and the number of PKA, CaMK II, c-fos positive cells in fetal rat brains was detected by using immunohistochemistry. Results The control group, the IUGR group and the taurine group: Comparison of the expression of PKA, CaMK Ⅱ, c-fos mRNA among 3 groups were of significant differences(F=7.934, P=0.021; F=5.568, P=0.043; F=7.332, P=0.024). Comparison of the expression of PKA, CaMK II, c-fos protein among the 3 groups were of significant differences(F=57.743, P=0.000; F=163.405, P=0.000; F=160.136, P=0.000). Comparison of the number of PKA, CaMK Ⅱ, c-fos positive cells among the 3 groups were of significant differences(F=42.903, P=0.000; F=329.123, P=0.000; F=43.674, P=0.000). Compared with the control group, the expression of mRNA, protein, positive cells of three indicators in IUGR group was less, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of mRNA, protein, positive cells of three indicators in fetal rat brains of the taurine group were not different from the control group.The expression of mRNA, protein, positive cells of three indicators in fetal rat brains of the taurine group were significantly more than the IUGR group(P<0.05). Conclusions Prenatal taurine supplementation can improve PKA-CaMK II, c-fos mRNA and protein levels in fetal rat brain tissue with IUGR, and increase its number of positive cells and may enhance the regenerative capacity of the central nervous system, so as to reduce the IUGR brain injury and promote its role in brain development. Key words: Intrauterine growth restriction; Fetal rat; Taurine; Protein kinase A; Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ; c-fos