Prenatal low-level exposure to CO alters postnatal development of hippocampal nitric oxide synthase and haem-oxygenase activities in rats.
The effects of prenatal CO exposure (150 ppm from days 0 to 20 of pregnancy) on the postnatal development of hippocampal neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) and haem-oxygenase (HO-2) isoform activities in 15-, 30- and 90-d-old rats were investigated. Unlike HO-2, hippocampal nNOS activity increased from postnatal days 15-90 in controls. Prenatal CO produced a long-lasting decrease in either nNOS or HO-2. The results suggest that the altered developmental profile of hippocampal nNOS and HO-2 activities could be involved in cognitive deficits and long-term potentiation dysfunction exhibited by rats prenatally exposed to CO levels resulting in carboxyhaemoglobin (HbCO) levels equivalent to those observed in human cigarette smokers.
Vaccari
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A
Bernard B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, Via Porcell 4, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
Ruiu
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S
Saba
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P
Fà
M
M
Cagiano
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R
Coluccia
A
A
Mereu
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G
Steardo
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L
Tattoli
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M
Trabace
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L
Cuomo
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D000818:Animals; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000378:metabolism*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; C496322:Nos1 protein, rat; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)