[The effect of alcohol on c-fos gene expression in rat embryo neuroglial].
OBJECTIVE
This paper is aimed to explore the mechanisms of brain development abnormality induced by alcohol.


METHODS
Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes of 19-day rat embryo were exploited and cultured in vitro, and alcohol and its metabolite product (acetaldehyde) were added to DMEMF(12) medium. After different exposure times, c-fos expression of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes was measured by the immunocytochemistry technique.


RESULTS
Changes in c-fos gene expression induced by alcohol and acetaldehyde was time and dose dependent. After 1 hr exposure, alcohol and acetaldehyde affected c-fos gene expression in two kinds of neuralglia. C-fos positive expression reached peak value after 2 hr, but recovered after 72 hr and showed special time phase expression.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol and acetaldehyde cause abnormal increase of c-fos gene expression in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. This abnormal expression may play an important role in abnormal brain development induced by alcohol.
Qu
W
W
Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
Xiao
B
B
Wu
D
D
D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D016762:Genes, fos; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000431:Ethanol; D000079:Acetaldehyde