title: Fetal alcohol exposure alters serotonin transporter sites in rat brain.
abstract: This study examined the effects of fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) on serotonin transporter (5-HTT) binding sites in the brains of developing male and female rat offspring using the technique of quantitative autoradiography. Time-pregnant dams were fed liquid ethanol diet, isocaloric diet without ethanol or normal rat chow. Male and female offspring were sacrificed at 21, 40 and 60 days of age, brains removed and sectioned for analysis of 5-HTT sites. FAE led to distinct effects on 5-HTT sites depending on the age and gender of the offspring. FAE increased 5-HTT binding sites in cortical layers 5, 6, hippocampal layers CA(2,3), lateral nucleus of the amygdala and in the dorsal raphe nucleus. FAE decreased 5-HTT binding sites in the medial nucleus of amygdala, dorsomedial and ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus. FAE decreased 5-HTT binding sites temporarily in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus in the 21-day-old female; this effect was found to disappear by day 40. In contrast, FAE increased 5-HTT sites in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala in the adult animal, suggesting that ethanol exposure in utero may alter serotonin neurotransmission in discrete brain regions permanently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Shelat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Redei
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tejani-Butt
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493232:Slc6a4 protein, rat; C024316:cianopramine; D014316:Tritium; D012701:Serotonin; D007099:Imipramine