[Effects of lead exposure on acid-sensing ion channel in hippocampus of baby-rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of chronic lead exposure on mRNA and protein expression of ASIC1a, ASIC2a, ASIC2b in hippocampus of baby-rats.


METHODS
The Wistar pregnant rats were randomly divided into 3 groups fed with distilled water or lead contained water (0.2% and 1.0% lead acetate) respectively, 5 rats in each group. The lead-exposure ranged from the 0 day of pregnancy to the offspring weaned. Then the baby-rats were fed with lead water like their mothers and killed at postnatal day 8 or 50. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine lead content in the brain. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to observe mRNA and protein expression of ASIC1a, ASIC2a and ASIC2b in their hippocampus respectively.


RESULTS
The brain lead content of test groups was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.01), and the lead content of the postnatal day 50 was higher than that in postnatal day 8 (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, ASIC1a mRNA expression of 1.0% lead exposure in the hippocampus was uptrend (P < 0.01), ASIC1a protein expression of each test group was downtrend (P < 0.05), while for ASIC2a and ASIC2b mRNA and protein, there was no significant differences observed (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
ASIC1a expression in hippocampus can be changed by chronic lead exposure.
DI
Jin-Ru
JR
Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
Wang
Feng-Shan
FS
Zhang
Jing-Shu
JS
Liu
Zhong-Hui
ZH
Shang
Bo-Dong
BD
D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D062565:Acid Sensing Ion Channels; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015222:Sodium Channels; D007854:Lead