Early life variations in temperature exposure affect the epigenetic regulation of the paraventricular nucleus in female rat pups.

ABSTRACT: Early life maternal care received has a profound effect on later-life behaviour in adult offspring, and previous studies have suggested epigenetic mechanisms are involved. Changes in thyroid hormone receptor signalling may be related to differences in maternal care received and DNA methylation modifications. We investigated the effects of variations in temperature exposure (a proxy of maternal contact) and licking-like tactile stimulation on these processes in week-old female rat pups. We assessed thyroid hormone receptor signalling by measuring circulating triiodothyronine and transcript abundance of thyroid hormone receptors and the thyroid hormone-responsive genes DNA methyltransferase 3a and oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. DNA methylation of the oxytocin pr

SUBMITTER: Lauby SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7661289 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature