Effect of Prenatal Hypoxia on Cholinesterase Activity in Blood Serum of Rats

Abstract

Analysis of acetylcholine- and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE, BChE) in blood serum of rats of different ages demonstrated that their activities significantly decrease during ageing. Moreover, in mature rats (5 and 8 months) subjected to prenatal hypoxia during the period of active formation of the brain (E14, 7% O₂, 3 h) there was a two-fold decrease in the activity both of AChE and BChE. Prenatal hypoxia at a later stage of pregnancy (E18) also resulted in decreased activity of BChE in the blood serum of mature rats while AChE activity was significantly higher than in controls. Levels of cholinesterase activity in blood serum also correlated with the motor activity of rats. In active mature rats, AChE activity was, on average, 10% higher and BChE, 21% higher than in passive rats. Administration of a natural antioxidant L-carnitine or a synthetic tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib (gleevec) to animals resulted in an increase in the activity of both cholinesterases in the serum. The data obtained testify not only on the prolonged effects of prenatal stress on the cholinergic brain system reported by us earlier but also on the activities of AChE and BChE in blood serum which might affect not only motor and cognitive functions of animals but also their reactions to different types of stress.