Pyrroloquinoline quinone improves abnormal functional development of whisker-mediated tactile perception and social behaviors caused by neonatal whisker trimming

Abstract

Abnormalities in tactile perception and response, such as sensory defensiveness, are core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may be associated with impaired communication skills. However, the influences of tactile perception deficits on the development of social behaviors and neuronal circuits related to emotional regulation of social interactions remain unclear. Whiskers are the most important tactile apparatus in rodents. We previously reported that adult mice receiving bilateral whisker trimming for 10 days after birth (BWT10) exhibited deficits in whisker-mediated tactile discrimination, abnormal social behaviors, and hyperactivity of brain emotional systems under psychological stress. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) is an essential nutrient with important roles in central nervous system development and function through modulation of glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activity. Here we examined the effect of neonatal PQQ administration on the behavioral abnormalities of BWT10 mice. PQQ treatment significantly reversed abnormal social behavior in adult BWT10 mice as detected by three-chamber social interaction and social dominance tube tests, and improved whisker perception as revealed by the gap-crossing test. In addition, PQQ reversed hyperactivity in emotional systems as evidenced by c-Fos expression pattern following elevated-platform stress. These data suggest that PQQ may be a promising candidate therapeutic drug for neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD.