A preliminary investigation of the effects of maternal ethanol intake during gestation and lactation on brain adenosine A1 receptor expression in rat offspring

Abstract Ethanol exposure during fetal development can result in behavioral and neurological deficits, including reduced cognitive functions, retarded growth, and craniofacial abnormalities. Adenosine is an endogenous neuromodulator that fine-tunes the release and/or synaptic activities of several neurotransmitters, including glutamate, dopamine, and serotonin. Our aim was to determine whether ethanol exposure during early development affects adenosine receptors, particularly the A 1 receptor subtype, in adult rats. Female rats were given water or 15% (vol/vol) ethanol in water prior to mating and throughout gestation and lactation. Sixty-day-old male rat offspring from these dams were randomly selected and assayed for adenosine A 1 receptor expression in four brain areas: cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, and striatum. Our results indicate that ethanol intake by dams decreased body and brain weights of offspring and reduced both A 1 receptor mRNA and protein density in cortex and cerebellum. These preliminary findings indicate that ethanol intake by dams during pregnancy and lactation can affect adenosine A 1 receptor signalling in the offspring. A pair-fed controlled study is warranted to explore these findings further.