Long-term effects of prenatal allopurinol treatment on brain plasticity markers in low and normal birth weight piglets

•A unique piglet model is applied to verify ALLO effects on birth weight.•No effects of birth weight one the measured plasticity markers.•ALLO increases neuroplasticity in piglets by increasing BDNF and PSD95 expression.•ALLO might be a promising treatment of the aversive effects of LBW.

In this study, we investigated the effect of antenatal allopurinol (ALLO) treatment on levels and expression of plasticity markers in the dorsal hippocampus of low (LBW) and normal (NBW) birth weight piglets. ALLO treatment given daily in the last trimester to pregnant sows had a protective effect on neuronal plasticity markers in their piglets. ALLO increases protein levels of BDNF and the postsynaptic marker PSD95 in LBW and NBW piglets. ALLO treatment increases the pCREB/CREB ratio in LBW piglets to a similar level as that found in untreated NBW piglets. In conclusion, antioxidant treatment administered in the last trimester might be a promising treatment for LBW neonates.