title: Formaldehyde impairs learning and memory involving the disturbance of hydrogen sulfide generation in the hippocampus of rats.
abstract: Formaldehyde (FA), a well-known indoor and outdoor pollutant, has been implicated as the responsible agent in the development of neurocognitive disorders. Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S), the third gasotransimitter, is an endogenous neuromodulator, which facilitates the induction of hippocampal long-term potentiation, involving the functions of learning and memory. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of intracerebroventricular injection of FA on the formation of learning and memory and the generation of endogenous H(2)S in the hippocampus of rats. We found that the intracerebroventricular injection of FA in rats impairs the function of learning and memory in the Morris water maze and novel object recognition test and increases the formation of apoptosis and lipid peroxidation in the hippocampus. We also showed that FA exposure inhibits the expression of cystathionine β-synthase, the major enzyme responsible for endogenous H(2)S generation in hippocampus and decreases the production of endogenous H(2)S in hippocampus in rats. These results suggested that FA-disturbed generation of endogenous H(2)S in hippocampus leads to the oxidative stress-mediated neuron damage, ultimately impairing the function of learning and memory. Our findings imply that the disturbance of endogenous H(2)S generation in hippocampus is a potential contributing mechanism underling FA-caused learning and memory impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College, University of South China, 28 W Changsheng Road, Hengyang, 421001 Hunan, People's Republic of China. txq01001@163.com
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Heng-Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Cheng-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hong-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde; D003541:Cystathionine beta-Synthase; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide