title: Subchronic oral administration of Benzo[a]pyrene impairs motor and cognitive behavior and modulates S100B levels and MAPKs in rats.
abstract: Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is an environmental contaminant produced during incomplete combustion of organic material that is well known as a mutagenic and carcinogenic toxin. There are few studies addressing the molecular and cellular basis of behavioural alterations related to BaP exposure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of subchronic oral administration of BaP on behavioral and neurochemical parameters. Wistar male rats received BaP (2 mg/kg) or corn oil (control), once a day for 28 days (n = 12/group). Spontaneous locomotor activity and short- and long-term memories were evaluated. Glial fibrillary acid protein and S100B content in the hippocampus, serum and CSF were measured using ELISA and total and phosphorylated forms of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) named extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, p38(MAPK) and c-Jun amino-terminal kinases 1 and 2, in the hippocampus, were evaluated by western blotting. BaP induced a significant increase on locomotor activity and a decrease in short-term memory. S100B content was increased significantly in cerebrospinal fluid. BaP induced a decrease on ERK2 phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Thus, BaP subchronic treatment induces an astroglial response and impairs both motor and cognitive behavior, with parallel inhibition of ERK2, a signaling enzyme involved in the hippocampal neuroplasticity. All these effects suggest that BaP neurotoxicity is a concern for environmental pollution.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500/107, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erica Santos
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biasibetti
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lunardi
authors.forename: Rebeca Vargas Antunes
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Schunck
authors.forename: Gabriela Curbeti
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Marcelo Dutra
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Arbo
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dallegrave
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Paulo H Nascimento
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Saldiva
authors.forename: Solange Cristina
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Rodrigo Bainy
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Mirna Bainy
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Leal
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; C579158:S100b protein, rat; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases