Chlordecone (Kepone) exposure in the neonate selectively alters brain and pituitary endorphin levels in prepuberal and adult rats.
It has been reported that the pituitary [Met5]-enkephalin system was regulated by estrogen. Since chlordecone exhibits estrogen-like activity, we explored the possibility that the pituitary level of [Met5]-enkephalin might be altered by this neurotoxicant. A single injection of chlordecone (1 mg/pup on day 4 of age) reduced the level of [Met5]-enkephalin at 70 and 120 days of age in male rats but not in females. Such treatment failed to alter the pituitary levels of beta-endorphin in either sex. However, the same treatment caused a transient reduction in the hypothalamic beta-endorphin level in both male and female rats without affecting the levels of other neuropeptides in the hypothalamus and other brain regions. These results suggest that hypothalamo-pituitary axis may be the primary neural target affected by chlordecone and estrogen-like activity may be related to the chlordecone-elicited decrease in pituitary [Met5]-enkephalin level.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D007631:Chlordecone / Q000633:toxicity*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012737:Sex Factors
D004723:Endorphins; D007306:Insecticides; D007631:Chlordecone