title: [Effects of nano-lead exposure on learning and memory as well as iron homeostasis in brain of offspring rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of nano-lead exposure on learning and memory and iron homeostasis in the brain of the offspring rats on postnatal day 21 (PND21) and postnatal day 42 (PND42).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty adult pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group and nano-lead group. Rats in the nano-lead group were orally administrated 10 mg/kg nano-lead, while rats in the control group were administrated an equal volume of normal saline until PND21. On PND21, the offspring rats were weaned and given the same treatment as the pregnant rats until 42 days after birth. The learning and memory ability of offspring rats on PND21 and PND42 was evaluated by Morris water maze test. The hippocampus and cortex s amples of offspring rats on PND21 and PND42 were collected to determine iron and lead levels in the hippocampus and cortex by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The distributions of iron in the hippocampus and cortex were observed by Perl's iron staining. The expression levels of ferritin, ferroportin 1 (FPN1), hephaestin (HP), and ceruloplasmin (CP) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After nano-lead exposure, the iron content in the cortex of offspring rats on PND21 and PND42 in the nano-lead group was significantly higher than those in the control group (32.63 ± 6.03 µg/g vs 27.04 ± 5.82 µg/g, P<0.05; 46.20 ±10.60 µg/g vs 36.61 ± 10.2µg/g, P<0.05). The iron content in the hippocampus of offspring rats on PND42 in the nano-lead group was significantly higher than that in the control group (56.9 ± 4.37µg/g vs 37.71 ± 6.92µg/g, P<0.05). The Perl's staining showed massive iron deposition in the cortex and hippocampus in the nano-lead group. FPNl level in the cotfex of offspring rats on PND21 in the nano-lead group was significantly lower than that in the control group (3.64 ± 0.23 ng/g vs 4.99 ± 0.95 ng/g, P<0.05). FPN1 level in the hippocampus of offspring rats on PND42 in the nano-lead group was significantly lower than that in the control group (2.28 ± 0.51 ng/g vs 3.69 ± 0.69 ng/g, P<0.05). The escape latencies of offspring rats on PND21 and PND42 in the nano-lead group were longer than those in the control group (15.54 ± 2.89 s vs 9.01 ± 4.66 s; 6.16 ± 1.42 s vs 4.26 ± 1.51 s). The numbers of platform crossings of offspring rats on PND21 and PND42 in the nano- lead group were significantly lower than those in the control group (7.77 ± 2.16 times vs 11.2 ± 1.61 times, P<0.05; 8.12 ± 1.51 times vs 13.0 ± 2.21 times, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  n Nano-lead exposure can result in iron homeostasis disorders in the hippocampus and cortex of offspring rats and affect their learning and memory ability.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Fuyuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Guoying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Qingzhao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanshu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D007501:Iron