Developmental manganese, but not concurrent lead exposure, alters social processing selectively in male mice

While the health effects of exposure to a single metal have been well documented, real-life scenarios including simultaneous exposure to multiple metals have not yet been extensively investigated. In this study, we investigated the neurobehavioral effects and hippocampal transcriptomic alterations in mouse offspring developmentally exposed to lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), or their combination.

Female mice were exposed to environmentally relevant low doses of Pb (100 ppm), Mn (2g/L), or both, via drinking water beginning two weeks prior to conception and continuing throughout gestation and lactation. Offspring of both sexes were assessed at multiple developmental stages using a comprehensive behavioral test battery to identify age- and sex-specific effects of exposure. For transcriptomic analysis, one male and one female (two month-old) from six litters per group (naive siblings of behaviorally tested mice) were euthanized for hippocampal tissue collection.