title: Aluminum affects glial system and behavior of rats.
abstract: Aluminum (Al) has been associated with neuronal dysfunction. These neuronal changes may involve glial alterations. We intend to evaluate the consequence of Al on the glial system and the behavior of rats exposed chronically to 0.3% of aluminum chloride in drinking water during 4 months in adulthood (A) or since intra-uterine age (IU); animals from this latter group were sacrificed at four months of age. Our data show an intense glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity with a high density of astrocytes in both treated groups compared with controls. However, in IU rats, astrocytes display prominent glial cell bodies and processes. A and IU rat groups perform a significantly reduced locomotor activity. However, using the dark/light box test, the IU rats prefer to spend more time in the enlightened compartment compared to other groups. Behavioral and glial changes caused by Al exposure bring support for the role of Al in brain dysfunction involving glial alterations.
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences, Pharmacology and Environment Research Team Laboratory, University Cadi Ayyad, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, avenue My-Abdellah, BP 2930, 4000 Marrakech, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hasna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erazi
authors.forename: Wafa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sansar
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahboucha
authors.forename: Halima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gamrani
mesh_terms: D000077410:Aluminum Chloride; D017607:Aluminum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002452:Cell Count; D002712:Chlorides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D017607:Aluminum Compounds; D002712:Chlorides; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012996:Solutions; C528900:glial fibrillary astrocytic protein, mouse; D000077410:Aluminum Chloride