Effects of in utero and lactational exposure to endosulfan in prefrontal cortex of male rats.
The possible neurotoxic effects of the organochlorine pesticide endosulfan have been evaluated on male offspring rats exposed in utero and during lactation. Dams were treated with 0.61mg or 6.12mg endosulfan/(kgday) from the gestation beginning until the weaning. Male offspring rats were sacrificed at post-natal days (PND) 15, 30 and 60, and possible alterations in the content and metabolism of biogenic amines and amino acids were determined in prefrontal cortex using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Globally, endosulfan induced an increase in amino acid content in prefrontal cortex at PND 15 and PND 30. However, the levels of GABA at PND 15 and those of glutamine at PND 30 were not modified. At PND 60, a significant reduction in the content of GABA and taurine was observed, while the concentration of glutamate, aspartate and glutamine remained constant. Endosulfan did not modify norepinephrine and dopamine content, but serotonin concentration was increased at PND 30 and PND 60 and serotoninergic and dopaminergic metabolism was also modified. These results suggest that pre- and post-natal exposure to endosulfan affects biogenic amines and amino acids in prefrontal cortex, and those variations could be related to several alterations in the functions in which the prefrontal cortex is involved.
Laboratorio de Toxicología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Vigo, Campus de Orense, Las Lagunas, 32004 Orense, Spain.
Teresa
T
Cabaleiro
Ana
A
Caride
Alejandro
A
Romero
Anunciación
A
Lafuente
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004726:Endosulfan / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors
D000596:Amino Acids; D001679:Biogenic Amines; D007306:Insecticides; D004726:Endosulfan