Research ReportDietary supplementation with resveratrol protects against striatal dopaminergic deficits produced by in utero LPS exposure

•Dietary resveratrol protected against an LPS-induced loss of striatal DA, DOPAC, and HVA at P21.•Dietary resveratrol reversed an LPS-induced loss of striatal TH expression in P21 pups.•Neither in utero exposure to LPS nor dietary resveratrol altered striatal DAT expression.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with the anti-inflammatory compound resveratrol in pregnant dams on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced dopaminergic deficits in pups exposed to LPS in utero. Gravid female rats were fed with a resveratrol-enriched diet during gestational days 3-22.5 (E3-E22.5) and received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 1 mg/kg LPS at E10.5. The striata were isolated from the pups at postnatal days 10 (P10) and P21. LPS-induced dopaminergic deficits were noted at P21, but not P10. These DA deficits at P21 were exhibited by a loss of DA and DA metabolite [3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA)] levels and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the striatum. The LPS-induced loss of DA, DA metabolites, and TH expression were attenuated in the striata of pups from the dams fed with the resveratrol-supplemented diet. These data suggest that a resveratrol-supplemented diet may restore homeostasis of the striatal DA neuronal system following disruption by LPS.