Prenatal Environmental Hypoxia Enhances Adult Hypoxia Tolerance in Brandt's Voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii): Behavioral and Transcriptomic Insights.

Abstract

Prenatal hypoxia poses significant risks to mammalian brain development, often leading to long-term cognitive and memory deficits. However, certain hypoxia-tolerant species, such as Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), have evolved unique adaptations to thrive in low-oxygen environments. This study explores the effects of prenatal environmental hypoxia on the cognitive abilities and molecular responses of Brandt's voles in adulthood. Using behavioral tests (novel object recognition and Y maze) and transcriptomic analysis, we found that Brandt's voles exposed to prenatal environmental hypoxia exhibited intact cognitive and memory functions, contrasting with the deficits observed in model organisms. Transcriptomic profiling, validated by RT-qPCR experiments, revealed adaptive changes in energy metabolism, oxygen transport, and neuroprotective mechanisms, particularly in voles exposed to hypoxia both prenatally and in adulthood. These findings suggest that moderate prenatal environmental hypoxia exposure induces developmental plasticity in Brandt's voles, enhancing their hypoxia tolerance in adulthood, which contrasts with the detrimental effects observed in model organisms under similar conditions. Our study highlights the importance of investigating non-model organisms with natural hypoxia exposure histories, providing novel insights into the mechanisms of hypoxia adaptation and potential strategies for mitigating hypoxia-related neurological damage.