Background and Objectives: Autism is a developmental disability characterized by impairment of motor functions and social communication together with the development of repetitive or stereotyped behaviors. Neither the exact etiology or the curative treatment of autism are yet completely explored. The goals of this study were to evaluate the possible effects of perindopril on a rat model of autism and to elucidate the possible molecular mechanisms that may contribute to these effects. Materials and Methods: In a rat model of sodium valproate (VPA)-induced autism, the effect of postnatal administration of different doses of perindopril on growth and motor development, social and repetitive behaviors, sirtuin-1, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathway, JAK2/STAT3 axis, and PPAR-gamma signaling in the hippocampal tissues were investigated. The histopathological and electron microscopic changes elicited by administration of the different treatments were also investigated. Results: Perindopril dose-dependently combatted the effects of prenatal exposure to VPA on growth and maturation, motor development, and social and repetitive behaviors. In addition, the different doses of perindopril ameliorated the effects of prenatal exposure to VPA on sirtuin-1, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathway, JAK2/STAT3 axis, and PPAR-gamma signaling. These effects had a mitigating impact on VPA-induced histopathological and electron microscopic changes in the hippocampal tissues. Conclusions: Perindopril may emerge as a promising agent for amelioration of the pathologic changes of autism spectrum disorders.
Keywords: apoptosis; autism; neuroinflammation; perindopril; rats; valproic acid.