title: The investigation of the prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure-induced neurodegeneration in rat brain: protection by betaine and/or omega-3.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aim to study the effect of neurodegeneration on the brain of rat pups caused by prenatal and postnatal ethanol exposure with modified liquid diet to elucidate protective effects of betaine and omega-3 supplementation. When ethanol is consumed during prenatal and postnatal periods, it may result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into control, ethanol, ethanol + betaine, ethanol + omega-3, ethanol + omega-3 + betaine groups. The effect of betaine and omega-3 in response to ethanol-induced changes on the brain, by biochemical analyses cytochrome c, caspase-3, calpain, cathepsin B and L, DNA fragmentation, histological and morfometric methods were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caspase-3, calpain, cathepsin B, and cytochrome c levels in ethanol group were significantly higher than control. Caspase-3, calpain levels were decreased in ethanol + betaine, ethanol + omega-3, and ethanol + omega-3 + betaine groups compared to ethanol group. Cathepsin B in ethanol + omega-3 + betaine group was decreased compared to ethanol, ethanol + betaine groups. Cathepsin L and DNA fragmentation were found not statistically significant. We found similar results in histological and morfometric parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that pre- and postnatal ethanol exposure is capable of triggering necrotic cell death in rat brains, omega-3, and betaine reduce neurodegeneration. Omega-3 and betaine may prove beneficial for neurodegeneration, particularly in preventing FAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey. kkusat@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kevser
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kusat Ol
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Güngör
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kanbak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oğlakcı Ilhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burukoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embriology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Eskisehir Osmangazi, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferruh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yücel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001622:Betaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008082:Lipotropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008082:Lipotropic Agents; D000431:Ethanol; D001622:Betaine
keywords: Betaine; Caspase-3; Cytochrome c; Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS); Omega-3