Maternal Dietary Deficiency in Choline Reduced Levels of MMP-2 Levels in Blood and Brain Tissue of Male Offspring Mice

Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death globally, with a rising incidence in younger age groups. It is well known that maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation is vital for the early neurodevelopment of offspring. One-carbon (1C) metabolism, including folic acid and choline, plays a vital role in closure of the neural tube in utero. However, the impact of maternal dietary deficiencies in 1C on offspring neurological function following ischemic stroke later in life remains undefined. The aim of this study was to investigate inflammation in the blood and brain tissue of offspring from mothers deficient in dietary folic acid or choline. Female mice were maintained on either a control or deficient diet prior to and during pregnancy and lactation. When offspring were 3 months of age, ischemic stroke was induced. One and a half months later, blood and brain tissue were collected. We measured levels of matrix metalloproteases (MMP)-2 and 9 in both plasma and brain tissue, and reported reduced levels of MMP-2 in ChDD male offspring in both tissue types. No changes were observed in MMP-9. This observation supports our working hypothesis that maternal dietary deficiencies in folic acid or choline during early neurodevelopment impact the levels of inflammation in offspring after ischemic stroke.