title: Effects of exposure to low-level lead on spatial learning and memory and the expression of mGluR1, NMDA receptor in different developmental stages of rats.
abstract: The effect of different periods of lead exposure on deficits of learning and memory is still unclear. In this study, we conduct in vivo experiment to investigate the critical stages when lead induced neurotoxicity in rats and its underlying mechanisms in some critical stages. Rats were exposed to 0.2% mg/ml lead acetate solution via drinking water during gestation, lactation and ablactation periods. Behavior deficits were found in gestation and lactation. N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit 2A (NR2A) increased during gestation both in hippocampus and cerebral cortex compared to the control group; in all treatment groups NR2B decreased in hippocampus and in cerebral cortex during the lactation period. Meanwhile, in hippocampus metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) decreased during gestation and lactation periods but increased during the ablactation period. These observations suggest that exposure to lead in gestation and lactation periods could cause neurobehavioral deficits which extend to adulthood, and lactation was a more sensitive period for lead exposure. Furthermore, the abnormal expression of NMDA receptor 2 (NMDAR 2) subunits and mGluR1 are likely to be associated with the impairment.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C104077:metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1