title: Lead exposure: expression and activity levels of Oct-2 in the developing rat brain.
abstract: Lead is a highly neurotoxic metal, and the developing central nervous system is particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead. In this study, transcription factors (TFs) that are altered due to lead exposure were identified using macroarray analysis. Rat pups were lactationally exposed to 0.2% lead acetate from birth through weaning. Changes in the developmental profiles of 30 TFs were screened in hippocampal tissue on postnatal day (PND) 5, 15, and 30. The temporal patterns of some TFs were transiently upregulated or repressed following lead exposure in a stage-specific manner; however, Oct-2, which is involved in the regulation of key developmental processes, exhibited sustained elevations during the entire period of study. Lead-induced elevation of Oct-2 was validated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis; however, significant elevation of Oct-2 mRNA expression was detected only on PND 5. The DNA-binding activity and protein levels of Oct-2 were further evaluated and found to be consistently induced on PND 5. The elevations observed in Oct-2 mRNA and protein levels as well as DNA-binding activity on PND 5 suggest that developmental maintenance of Oct-2 DNA binding could be impacted through de novo synthesis. These findings identify Oct-2 as a potential molecular target for Pb and suggest that Oct-2 may be associated with lead-induced disturbances in gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Neurotoxicology and Epigenomics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
authors.forename: Saleh A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bakheet
authors.forename: Md Riyaz
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Basha
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Nasser H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Zawia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D050813:Octamer Transcription Factor-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D050813:Octamer Transcription Factor-2; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C489205:Pou2f2 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007854:Lead; C008261:lead acetate