Serotonin (5HT) expression in rat pups treated with high-tryptophan diet during fetal and early postnatal development
Abstract
Serotonin (5HT) is a neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons of the central nervous system and in the enterochromaffin cells of the gastrointestinal tract. 5HT regulates growth and maturation of some cerebral regions in the developing brain as well as the secretion of pituitary growth hormone. This hormone is necessary for development and growth through the stimulation of insulin-like growth factor synthesis. The precursor of 5HT, tryptophan (Trp), is an essential amino acid, since the human organism is unable to synthesize it and it is assumed only through diet. The aim of our study was to analyze how a high-tryptophan diet in pregnant rats affects growth and survival of pups until weaning. We monitored the number and weight of pups until weaning. Then, we detected serotonin and growth hormone levels in whole blood by ELISA of surviving pups at the end of the lactation period. We also analyzed by means of immunohistochemistry and Western blot the expression of serotonin in rat gastric tissue and the morphological structure of skeletal muscle tissue of both control and experimental pups. Hyperserotonemia and very low levels of growth hormone were detected in experimental pups compared to controls. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a strong serotonin expression in stomach samples confirming that a high intake of tryptophan increases the production of serotonin in enterochromaffin cells, thereby resulting in hyperserotonemia in pups. These data were also strengthened by Western blot analysis. Histological alterations of skeletal muscle fibers in experimental pups were found and showed that in experimental samples the muscle tissue demonstrated deleterious alterations, being less developed and defined. Our data suggest that a high-tryptophan diet in pregnant rats induces hyperserotonemia in the fetus. Hyperserotonemia results in an excess of serotonin in the brain where it has a negative influence on development of serotonergic neurons and consequently on growth hormone production.
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A higher Trp concentration in the gut leads to increased serotonin synthesis in ECCs.
“A higher Trp concentration in the gut leads to increased serotonin synthesis in ECCs [18, 47].”
From Role of diet and its effects on the gut microbiome in the pathophysiology of mental disorders (2022) · cites this paper as [47]
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- Authors
- Musumeci, G., Loreto, C., Trovato, F. M., Giunta, S., Imbesi, R., & Castrogiovanni, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Catania (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Musumeci, Giuseppe
- ORCID
- Venue
- Acta Histochemica
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-03
- Volume
- 116
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 335-343
- ISSN
- 0065-1281 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1993947680
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 0.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Histochemica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Keywords
- serotonin, maternal diet, fetal development, postnatal development, hyperserotonemia, growth hormone, enterochromaffin cells, skeletal muscle development, serotonergic neurons
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animals, Newborn, Diet, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Serotonin, Time Factors, Tryptophan, Blotting, Western, Muscle, Skeletal, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Rats
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