Nitric oxide affects LTP in area CA1 and CA3 of hippocampus in low-level lead-exposed rat.
Neonatal Wistar rats were exposed to lead from parturition to weaning via the milk of dams drinking 0.2% lead acetate solution. The alterations in EPSPs in areas CA1 and CA3 of hippocampal slices of 60-day-old adult rats following developmental lead exposure were studied. The results demonstrate that lead exposure in neonatal rats causes a decrease in LTP in area CA1 and an increase in LTP in area CA3. The effects of exposure to NO-generating compound sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on LTP in areas CA1 and CA3 of control and lead-exposed rats were also tested. The data demonstrate that NO causes an increase in LTP in area CA1 and no different alterations in area CA3 of lead-exposed rats. The results also demonstrate that NO may be a messenger molecule in areas CA1 and CA3. It suggests that lead might selectively interfere with specific neurochemical pathways in the hippocampus.
Xu
Y Z
YZ
Department of Biology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Ruan
D Y
DY
Wu
Y
Y
Jiang
Y B
YB
Chen
S Y
SY
Chen
J
J
Shi
P
P
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine
D007854:Lead; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D026423:S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine; D010396:Penicillamine