title: The nitric oxide synthase expression of rat cortical and hippocampal neurons changes after early lead exposure.
abstract: The effect of lead exposure in nitric oxide synthase containing neurons (nNOS) within rat cortex and hippocampus was studied. Lead administration (1 g% lead acetate in drinking water) was commenced prior to mating and continued until 30 postnatal (PN) days. Immunohistochemical studies using antibody to nNOS showed, after lead treatment at PN21-PN30, a reduction in neuronal size and optical density (OD) of nNOS+ cells. In both regions, non-pyramidal immunoreactive neurons exhibited smaller soma size and less developed dendrites. A significant difference in cell areas and OD of lead exposed versus control rats and no variation in the number of nNOS+ neurons was seen. Morphological modifications after early lead exposure, induced nNOS reduction in NOS expressing neurons thereby interfering in NO synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias Dr. Eduardo De Robertis, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. mtesta@mail.retina.ar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Selvín-Testa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capani
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Loidl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pecci-Saavedra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase