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The Independent and Combined Effects of Omega-3 and Vitamin B12 in Ameliorating Propionic Acid Induced Biochemical Features in Juvenile Rats as Rodent Model of Autism

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Abstract

Metabolites of proper fatty acids modulate the inflammatory response and are essential for normal brain development; equally, abnormal fatty acid metabolism plays a critical role in the pathology of autism. Currently, dietary supplements are often used to improve the core symptoms of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study analyzed the effects of orally supplemented omega-3 (ω-3) and vitamin B12 on ameliorating oxidative stress and impaired lipid metabolism in a propionic acid (PPA)-induced rodent model of autism, together with their effect on the gut microbial composition, where great fluctuations in the bacterial number and strains were observed; interestingly, polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 induced higher growth of the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and decreased the survival rates of Clostridia sp. as well as other enteric bacterial strains. Thirty-five young male western albino rats were divided into five equal groups. The first group served as the control; the second group was given an oral neurotoxic dose of PPA (250 mg/kg body weight/day) for 3 days. The third group received an oral dose of ω-3 (200 mg/kg body weight/day) for 30 days after the 3-day PPA treatment. Group four was given an oral dose of vitamin B12 (16.7 mg/kg/day) for 30 days after PPA treatment. Finally, group five was given a combination of both ω-3 and vitamin B12 at the same dose for the same duration after PPA treatment. Biochemical parameters related to oxidative stress and impaired fatty acid metabolism were investigated in the brain homogenates of each group. The effects of the dietary supplements on the gut microbiota were also observed. The PPA-treated autistic model expressed significantly higher levels of lipid peroxides and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and significantly less glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) than the control group. However, a remarkable amelioration of most of the impaired markers was observed with oral supplementation with ω-3 and vitamin B12, either alone or in combination. Our results concluded that impairment at various steps of the lipid metabolic pathways may contribute to the development of autism; however, supplementation with ω-3 and vitamin B12 can result in a positive therapeutic effect.

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Funding

The authoes thank the College of Food and Agricultural Research Center and the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia for supporting this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Hanan Alfawaz & Manal Binobead

  2. Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Mona Al-Onazi, Ramesa Shafi Bhat & Haya S. Alzeer

  3. Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Sarah I. Bukhari

  4. Central laboratory, Female Centre for Scientific and Medical Studies, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Nashwa Othman, Norah Algahtani & Afaf El-Ansary

  5. Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O box 22452, Riyadh, Zip code 11495, Saudi Arabia

    Nadine M. S. Moubayed

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  1. Hanan Alfawaz
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  2. Mona Al-Onazi
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Correspondence to Afaf El-Ansary.

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All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee, Ref No.:4/67/352670.

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Alfawaz, H., Al-Onazi, M., Bukhari, S.I. et al. The Independent and Combined Effects of Omega-3 and Vitamin B12 in Ameliorating Propionic Acid Induced Biochemical Features in Juvenile Rats as Rodent Model of Autism. J Mol Neurosci 66, 403–413 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-018-1186-z

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