[Changes in plasticity of rat hypothalamic neurons and astrocytes in humid and hot environment].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes in the plasticity of the neurons and astrocytes in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus of rats exposed to a humid and hot environment.


METHODS
The rats were subjected to stimulation with a humid and hot environment for 120 min in a climate chamber (dry bulb temperature of 40.0-/+0.5 degrees C with relative humidity of 60-/+5%). During the exposure, the behavioral responses of the rats were observed, and the changes in the expressions of Fos and GFAP in the PVN and SON in response to the exposure evaluated using immunohistochemical ABC methods.


RESULTS
Exposure to a humid and hot environment caused restlessness and agitation in the rats, which showed increased respiratory frequency and scratching of the face with the forelimbs. Two rats died after the 120-min exposure. Significantly increased expressions of Fos and GFAP were detected in the PVN and SON following the exposure as compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The neurons and astrocytes in the PVN and SON both participate in the regulation of responses to exposure to a humid and hot environment.
Qin
Ming
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, China. qmm427@yahoo.com.cn
Huang
Yu-xin
YX
Wang
Jing-jie
JJ
Duan
Li
L
Cao
Rong
R
Chen
Liang-wei
LW
Rao
Zhi-ren
ZR
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006813:Humidity; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos / Q000032:analysis; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013495:Supraoptic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos