Three-generation Investigation on Serotonin Content in Rat Immune Cells long after β-endorphin Exposure in Late Pregnancy

Abstract

Female rats were treated with β-endorphin on the 19^th day of pregnancy. Serotonin content of immune cells (peritoneal lymphocytes, monocyte-macrophage-granulocyte group (mo-gran), mast cells, blood lymphocytes, granulocytes and monocytes, thymus lymphocytes) were studied in the mothers (P-generation four weeks after delivery), in the male offspring (F₁) generation (at seven weeks), in the female offspring (four weeks after their own delivery) and in their offspring (F₂ generation, at seven weeks). P-mother cells’ serotonin content was not influenced by endorphin treatment, while F₁ generation’s mo-gran and blood lymphocyte serotonin content was reduced (in contrast, histamine content of mo-gran increased). Four weeks after delivery, an increase in serotonin content was observed in the F₁ generation in the peritoneal lymphocytes and mast cells as well as in blood lymphocytes. In contrast, serotonin content was reduced in blood granulocytes and monocytes. In the F₂ (grandson) generation, a reduction in mast cell serotonin content and sensitization of blood and thymic lymphocytes to repeated endorphin treatment was provoked. The significant changes were more expressed in the F₂ generation compared to F₁, also appearing earlier. The results unequivocally suggest that the increase in endorphin levels during late pregnancy can cause permanent changes in the F₁ and F₂ generations, which means that the imprinting effect can be transgenerationally transmitted.

Key words

Transgenerational effect - Serotonin - Endorphin - White blood cells - Mast cells - Hormonal imprinting

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