Exploratory and Social Behavior Assessment
Objective: Evaluation of exploratory activity and social interaction deficits in offspring after maternal immune activation
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Protocol Steps
Maternal immune activation induction
Pregnant dams receive either a single injection of IL-6 or poly(I:C) on day 12.5 of pregnancy to induce maternal immune activation
Note: Two models of MIA tested: IL-6 injection and poly(I:C) administration
View evidence from paper
“A single maternal injection of IL-6 on day 12.5 of mouse pregnancy causes prepulse inhibition (PPI) and latent inhibition (LI) deficits in the adult offspring”
Anti-IL-6 antibody co-administration
In poly(I:C) model, anti-IL-6 antibody is co-administered to block IL-6 signaling
Note: This intervention prevents behavioral and transcriptional changes
View evidence from paper
“coadministration of an anti-IL-6 antibody in the poly(I:C) model of MIA prevents the PPI, LI, and exploratory and social deficits caused by poly(I:C)”
Behavioral testing in adult offspring
Adult offspring undergo behavioral assessment for exploratory activity and social interaction deficits
Note: Testing includes prepulse inhibition (PPI), latent inhibition (LI), exploratory and social behavior measures
View evidence from paper
“prevents the PPI, LI, and exploratory and social deficits caused by poly(I:C) and normalizes the associated changes in gene expression in the brains of adult offspring”
Gene expression analysis
Brain tissue from adult offspring is analyzed for changes in gene expression
Note: Gene expression changes are normalized by anti-IL-6 antibody treatment
View evidence from paper
“normalizes the associated changes in gene expression in the brains of adult offspring”
IL-6 knockout comparison
Behavioral testing is performed in offspring from IL-6 knock-out mice exposed to MIA
Note: MIA in IL-6 knock-out mice does not produce the same behavioral changes as in wild-type mice
View evidence from paper
“MIA in IL-6 knock-out mice does not result in several of the behavioral changes seen in the offspring of wild-type mice after MIA”