Influence of Prenatal Stress on the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in the Subcellular Fractions of the Neurons and Neuroglia of the Rat Neocortex

Abstract—We studied the effect of prenatal stress on the activity of glutathione-bound enzymes in the subcellular fractions of neurons and neuroglia of rat neocortex. The results of the study showed that prenatal stress causes changes in the activity of these enzymes in both neurons and neocortical neuroglia. These changes differ in the subcellular fractions of the studied cell populations. In the nuclei of neurons and neuroglia fraction, the activity of glutathione peroxidase increases. In the cytosol of neurons fraction, the activity of glutathione peroxidase decreases, while in the cytosol of neuroglia it grows. In neuronal mitochondria, the activity of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase increases, while in the neuroglial mitochondria fraction, the activity of glutathione peroxidase decreases. It has been suggested that a change in the activity of these enzymes in the subcellular fractions of neurons and neuroglia is one of the causes for the resistance of the neocortex to the effects of prenatal stress.