Chronic application of nonylphenol-induced apoptosis via suppression of bcl-2 transcription and up-regulation of active caspase-3 in mouse brain.
Nonylphenol (NP) is an endocrine disruptor, which has been reported to have adverse effects on reproductive and immune systems. However, the influence of NP on the central nervous system (CNS) has not been extensively explored. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of chronic administration of NP on the apoptosis-related protein expression in mouse brain by in situ hybridization, RT-PCR and immunoblotting assays. The expression of bcl-2 mRNA was down-regulated by NP at the doses of 100 and 200mg/(kg day) (p<0.05), whereas the expression of bax mRNA was not affected in NP treated mice (p>0.05). Furthermore, as the main executor of apoptosis, the expression of active caspase-3 was up-regulated by 100 and 200mg/(kg day) NP (p<0.01), which is in accord with the results of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) (p<0.05). These results suggest that chronic application of NP could sensitize the mice brain to apoptosis.
School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Zhen
Z
Mao
Yuan-Lin
YL
Zheng
Yan-qiu
YQ
Zhang
Bao-ping
BP
Han
Ling-tong
LT
Chen
Jing
J
Li
Fei
F
Li
Qun
Q
Shan
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
D010636:Phenols; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C025256:nonylphenol; D053148:Caspase 3