title: Effects of acrylonitrile on the pathological morphology and apoptosis of neurons in rats.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acrylonitrile (ACN) on neuronal morphology and apoptosis in rats. An ACN solution was administered to Wistar rats by gavage at doses of 0, 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg, 5 days a week for 13 weeks. The morphology of neurons and the presence of apoptosis was examined by light and electron microscope, DNA electrophoresis, immunohistochemistry, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling. Significant vacuolation and the widening of the interspaces around blood vessels were observed in the groups that received the highest dose. Disordered myelin sheaths, malformed neuronal nuclei, and chromatin condensation at the periphery of the nucleus that formed crescents were also observed in the treated rats. The number of apoptotic neurons was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the treated groups (5 mg/kg group: 1.5 ± 1.22 apoptotic neurons/slide; 10 mg/kg group: 2.5 ± 1.05 apoptotic neurons/slide; 20 mg/kg group: 2.34 ± 1.21 apoptotic neurons/slide) compared to the control group (4.5 ± 1.52 apoptotic neurons/slide). The number of Bcl-2-positive neurons and the levels of staining were increased in the treated rats compared to those of the control group. These results suggested that ACN may induce serious morphological changes in rat neurons and inhibit neuronal apoptosis in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: C Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine and School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China zhouyl2000@sina.com.cn.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine and School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: I T S
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000181:Acrylonitrile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000181:Acrylonitrile