Early hypergravity exposure effects calbindin-D28k and inositol-3-phosphate expression in Purkinje cells

In this study the effects of hypergravity were analyzed on cerebellar Purkinje cells during early development in rats. The cerebellum is a key structure in the control and the adaptation of posture and anti-gravity activities. This holds particularly when external conditions are modified. Three groups of rats were conceived, born and reared in hypergravity (2 g). At postnatal day 5 (P5), P10 or P15, they were exposed to normal gravity and at P40, the cerebella were investigated on the expression of calbindin-D28k and inositol-3-phosphate (IP3) in Purkinje cells. Control animals were bred in the same conditions but at 1 g. Immunoreactivity of Purkinje cells was studied in lobules III and IX of the vermis. Lobule IX of the vermis is one of the targets of primary otolithic vestibular projections, and lobule III served as a control, being much less related with vestibular inputs. The results show that hypergravity induces a decrease in calbindin and IP3 labeling in 20% of Purkinje cells of lobule IX without any change in lobule III. Animals transferred from 2 g to 1 g at P5 or P10 showed the most pronounced effects and much less at P15. This study demonstrates that early development of the cerebellum is highly sensitive to changes in gravity. Ages until P10 are critical for the development of vestibulo-cerebellar connections, and in particularly the calcium signaling in Purkinje cells.