Microglia colonize the fetal brain during the latter half of gestation. During this time, they play a critical role in the cross-talk between the nervous and immune systems as well as in several developmental processes. Activation of the immune system during pregnancy or early life may contribute to the etiology of metabolic disorders.
Our new study demonstrates that gestational exposure to VOC (using benzene as a model VOC) induces deleterious effects on energy homeostasis and insulin resistance in adult offspring.
Our new study demonstrates that gestational exposure to VOC (using benzene as a model VOC) induces deleterious effects on energy homeostasis and insulin resistance in adult offspring.
Using innovative technical approaches including novel mice models, and hypothalamic transcriptional profiling we now assess the impact of perinatal VOC exposure on offspring hypothalamic development, and inflammatory response in the hypothalamus, as a potential risk factor for late-life metabolic disorders.