Oral supplements of combined fructo- and xylo-oligosaccharides during perinatal period significantly offsets acrylamide-induced oxidative impairments and neurotoxicity in rats.

Fetal and early childhood exposure to low levels of chemicals formed in foods during heating, especially acrylamide (ACR) is of increased concern due to developmental neurotoxicity. The neurodevelopment during perinatal period is critical and evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a major role in shaping brain development and behavior. Pregnant Wistar rats provided with oral supplements a combination of fructo- and xylo-oligosaccharides (FOS + XOS, 3 g/kg/day) from gestation day 0 (GD 0) to postnatal day 21 (PND 21) were exposed to ACR (100 ppm, GD 6 to PND 21) in drinking water. While ACR exposure caused a significant reduction in the maternal gestational/ lactational body weight, preweaning body weights and behavioral alterations among male offspring, combination supplement of FOS + XOS had no significant effect. However, significantly diminished antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) activities in the maternal and offspring brain were restored among rats given FOS + XOS supplementation. The prebiotic supplementation normalized elevated nitric oxide levels in the cerebellum of the offspring born to ACR exposed rats. Furthermore, prebiotics restored the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and improved the levels of dopamine (DA) in the maternal cortex. The protective effect of prebiotic supplementation was also discernible in the mitochondrial fraction of maternal brain regions. These findings suggest that prebiotic supplementation during pregnancy may be useful in attenuating the perinatal toxic effects associated with neurotoxin exposure.