Cited by 145Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchCannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Sex-specific autistic endophenotypes induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid involve anandamide signalling

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Melancia, Francesca, Schiavi, Sara, Servadio, Michela, Cartocci, Veronica, Campolongo, Patrizia, Palmery, Maura, Pallottini, Valentina, Trezza, Viviana·2018·British Journal of Pharmacology

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more commonly diagnosed in males than in females. Prenatal exposure to the antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) is an environmental risk factor of ASD. Male rats prenatally exposed to VPA show socio‐emotional autistic‐like dysfunctions that have been related to changes in the activity of the endocannabinoid anandamide. Here, we have investigated if prenatal VPA induced sex‐specific autistic endophenotypes involving anandamide signalling. Experimental Approach: We studied sex‐specific differences in the ASD‐like socio‐emotional, cognitive and repetitive symptoms displayed during development of Wistar rats of both sexes, prenatally exposed to VPA. The involvement of anandamide was followed by Western blotting of cannabinoid CB 1 receptors and by inhibiting its metabolism. Key Results: Female rats were less vulnerable to the deleterious effects of prenatal VPA exposure on social communication, emotional reactivity and cognitive performance than male rats. Conversely, as observed in male rats, prenatal VPA exposure induced selective deficits in social play behaviour and stereotypies in the female rat offspring. At the neurochemical level, prenatal VPA exposure altered phosphorylation of CB 1 receptors in a sex‐specific, age‐specific and tissue‐specific manner. Enhancing anandamide signalling through inhibition of its degradation reversed the behavioural deficits displayed by VPA‐exposed animals of both sexes. Conclusions and Implications: These findings highlight sexually dimorphic consequences of prenatal VPA exposure that may be related to sex‐specific effects of VPA on endocannabinoid neurotransmission in the course of development and introduce a new therapeutic target for reversing autistic‐like symptoms in both sexes.

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  1. Kozma C (2001). Valproic acid embryopathy: report of two siblings with further expansion of the phenotypic abnormalities and a review of the literature. Am J Med Genet 98: 168–175. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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Authors
Melancia, F., Schiavi, S., Servadio, M., Cartocci, V., Campolongo, P., Palmery, M., Pallottini, V., & Trezza, V.
Affiliations
  • Roma Tre University (IT)
  • Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Corresponding author
Trezza, Viviana
Venue
British Journal of Pharmacology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-08-09
Volume
175
Issue
18
Pages
3699-3712
ISSN
  • 0007-1188 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5381
OpenAlex
W2810453228
Cited by
145
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 2
FWCI
9.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • British Journal of Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
  • Iris (Roma Tre University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Fondation Jérôme Lejeune (1674)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, valproic acid, prenatal drug exposure, sex differences, anandamide, endocannabinoid system, social communication, emotional reactivity, stereotypy, antiepileptic drugs, rat model
MeSH terms
Animals, Anticonvulsants, Arachidonic Acids, Autistic Disorder, Behavior, Animal, Female, Hydrolysis, Locomotion, Male, Phenotype, Phosphorylation, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Sex Factors, Valproic Acid, Signal Transduction, Rats, Wistar, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1, Rats, Polyunsaturated Alkamides, Endocannabinoids

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