Changes in expression of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA by perinatal exposure to dioxin.
Since dioxin and related compounds are suspected of affecting permanently the brain function of offspring of human and experimental animals, effects of perinatal exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on the expression of rat NMDA receptor NR2A and NR2B subunit mRNA were examined. The mRNA quantification by competitive RT-PCR clearly revealed that TCDD inhibited NR2B mRNA expression and enhanced NR2A mRNA expression in the neocortex and hippocampus on postnatal day (PND) 49, whereas these changes in mRNA expression were not found on PND 5. The results demonstrate for the first time that the perinatal exposure to TCDD can alter the molecular basis of brain of offspring in adulthood.
Kakeyama
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M
Environmental Health Sciences Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan.
Sone
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Tohyama
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D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D019579:Neocortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; C120997:NR2A NMDA receptor; C121001:NR2B NMDA receptor; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate