Maternal iodine supplementation improves motor coordination in offspring by modulating the mGluR1 signaling pathway in mild iodine deficiency-induced hypothyroxinemia rats

Iodine is an essential component for thyroid hormone synthesis. Epidemiological investigations have demonstrated that maternal mild iodine deficiency (ID)-induced hypothyroxinemia can affect intellectual and behavioral function in offspring. There is no definitive evidence demonstrating the effects of maternal iodine supplementation on neurobehavioral function in regional areas with mild ID. Thus, we aimed to clarify the effects of maternal mild ID and iodine supplementation on motor coordination in offspring and illuminate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Animal models of maternal mild ID and iodine supplementation were generated by providing Wistar rats an iodine-deficient diet and deionized water supplemented with potassium iodide during pregnancy and lactation. We found that mild ID-induced hypothyroxinemia led to a shorter latent time before falling down from the rotarod, a longer time to traverse the balance beam and poorer wire grip of the forelimbs, which imply motor coordination dysfunction. However, these impairments in the offspring were improved by iodine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation. We further observed that the ultrastructure and dendritic tree morphology of cerebellar Purkinje cells were altered in mild ID-induced hypothyroxinemia but that these changes could be reversed by iodine supplementation. Maternal mild ID and iodine supplementation also affected expression of the mGluR1 signaling pathway in offspring. Together, iodine supplementation during pregnancy and lactation can improve motor coordination in offspring by modulating the mGluR1 signaling pathway in mild ID-induced hypothyroxinemia rats.