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Prenatal and Lactational Lead Exposure Enhanced Oxidative Stress and Altered Apoptosis Status in Offspring Rats’ Hippocampus

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Abstract

Oxidative stress and apoptosis facilitation in the developing central nervous system (CNS) have been inferred as two mechanisms related to lead’s neurotoxicity, and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can promote oxidative stress and apoptosis facilitation. Few studies systematically investigated the potential relationship among oxidative stress, ROS generation, and apoptosis facilitation after lead exposure in earlier life as a whole. To better understand the adverse effect on the developing central nervous system (CNS) after lead exposure during pregnancy and lactation, the indexes of oxidative stress, apoptosis status, and Bax and Bcl-2 expression of offspring rats’ hippocampus were determined. Pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups and given free access to drinking water which contained 0 %, 0.05 %, 0.1 %, and 0.2 % Pb(AC)2 respectively from gestation day 0 to postnatal day 21 (PND21). Results showed that ROS and malondialdehyde level of either PND7 or PND21 pups’ hippocampus were significantly raised; reduced glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity were obviously decreased following the increase of blood and brain lead level. Similar to apoptotic indexes, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased after 0.1 % and 0.2 % Pb(AC)2 exposure, especially for the pups on PND7. Comparing with cortex, the hippocampus seemed much more sensitive to damage induced by lead. We concluded that the disruption of pro-oxidant and antioxidant balance and apoptosis facilitation could be associated with the mechanisms of neurotoxicity after lead exposure in earlier life.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs. Beili Li (Center laboratory, School of Public Health, China Medical University) for her excellent work in lead determination using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. This study was supported by Provincial Education Foundation of Liaoning (No. L2010703).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hygiene Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, #92, North 2 Road, Heping District, 110001, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaobo Lu, Cuihong Jin, Jinghua Yang, Qiufang Liu, Shengwen Wu, Dandan Li, Yangyang Guan & Yuan Cai

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  1. Xiaobo Lu
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  2. Cuihong Jin
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Correspondence to Yuan Cai.

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Lu, X., Jin, C., Yang, J. et al. Prenatal and Lactational Lead Exposure Enhanced Oxidative Stress and Altered Apoptosis Status in Offspring Rats’ Hippocampus. Biol Trace Elem Res 151, 75–84 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-012-9531-5

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