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Fig. 8 | Journal of Neuroinflammation

Fig. 8

From: CCL2/CCR2 system in neuroepithelial radial glia progenitor cells: involvement in stimulatory, sexually dimorphic effects of maternal ethanol on embryonic development of hypothalamic peptide neurons

Fig. 8

Stimulatory effects of ethanol on MCH expression and neurons in NEP and mHYP. Maternal ethanol administration group (2 g/kg/day, E10–E15) was compared to Untreated and isocaloric Control groups of embryos at E19. a Ethanol compared to control groups significantly increased in NEP+mHYP area mRNA expression of MCH measured using qRT-PCR which is presented here as mRNA fold change compared to Untreated control group. This effect on MCH mRNA levels (determined by analysis of average ratio scores) was evident in both female embryos (Untreated = 2.50 × 10−3, Control = 2.25 × 10−3, Ethanol = 4.99 × 10−3) and male embryos (Untreated = 2.62 × 10−3, Control = 2.36 × 10−3, Ethanol = 3.37 × 10−3) but was significantly greater in females. In a separate set of embryos, ethanol compared to the Control group (n = 6/group) significantly increased in females the density of MCH+ neurons in both the NEP and mHYP as measured using DIG-ISH. b This effect on MCH+ neurons is illustrated in representative × 10 images of MCH-expressing neurons revealed by DIG-ISH, with several neurons detected in the NEP of ethanol-treated embryos (two most distinct MCH+ neurons identified by black arrowheads) but none evident in Control embryos, and with the far denser population in the mHYP also significantly stimulated by ethanol (bottom panel). Top panel shows the negative and positive controls for MCH DIG-ISH. Data are mean ± SEM. (n = 7/group/sex, *p < 0.05 versus control group, #p < 0.05 versus males). Two-way ANOVA was used to compare means between groups and simple main effect analyses to test differences between sexes as well as differences within each sex. mHYP, medial hypothalamus; MCH, melanin-concentrating hormone; NEP, neuroepithelium; V, third ventricle. Scale bar, 100 μm

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