title: Neurobehavioral impairments, generation of oxidative stress and release of pro-apoptotic factors after chronic exposure to sulphur mustard in mouse brain.
abstract: Recent global events have focused attention on the potential threat of international and domestic chemical terrorism, as well as the possibility of chemical warfare proliferation. Sulphur mustard (SM) is one of the potent chemical warfare agents (CWA), which initiates a cascade of events that converge on the redox mechanisms common to brain injury. The present study was designed to examine the effects of chronic SM exposure on neurobehavioral impairments, mitochondrial oxidative stress in male Swiss Albino mice and its role in inducing apoptotic neuronal cell death. The animals were divided into four groups (control, low, medium and high dose) of 5 animals each. Exposure to SM was given percutaneously daily for 12 weeks. The results demonstrated impairment in neurobehavioral indices viz. rota rod, passive avoidance and water maze tests in a dose dependent manner. There was a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content whereas, decrease in the activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase suggesting impaired antioxidant defense system. Immunoblotting of cytochrome c, Bcl-2, Bax and activation of caspase-3 suggest induction of apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. Finally, increased p53 expression suggests that it may target the mitochondrial pathway for inducing apoptosis in response to DNA damage signals. In conclusion, chronic SM exposure may have the potential to generate oxidative stress which may trigger the release of cytochrome c as well as caspase-3 activation in neurons leading to cell death by apoptosis in a dose dependent manner which may in the end be responsible for the disruption of cognitive functions in mice.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India.
authors: Deep Raj
authors: DR
authors: Sharma
authors: Aditya
authors: A
authors: Sunkaria
authors: Amanjit
authors: A
authors: Bal
authors: Yangchen D
authors: YD
authors: Bhutia
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Vijayaraghavan
authors: S J S
authors: SJ
authors: Flora
authors: Kiran Dip
authors: KD
authors: Gill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D050050:Protein Carbonylation / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D009151:Mustard Gas