Lanthanum chloride impairs memory, decreases pCaMK IV, pMAPK and pCREB expression of hippocampus in rats

• Published in: Toxicology letters Vol. 190; no. 2; pp. 208 - 214
• Main Authors: Yang, Jinghua, Liu, Qiufang, Zhang, Lifeng, Wu, Shengwen, Qi, Ming, Lu, Shuai, Xi, Qi, Cai, Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28-10-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4 - biosynthesis; CREB; Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein - biosynthesis; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - biosynthesis; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; Early Growth Response Protein 1 - biosynthesis; Early Growth Response Protein 1 - genetics; Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases - metabolism; Hippocampus; Hippocampus - drug effects; Hippocampus - enzymology; Hippocampus - metabolism; Lanthanum; Lanthanum - pharmacokinetics; Lanthanum - pharmacology; Maze Learning - drug effects; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory Disorders - chemically induced; Memory Disorders - psychology; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - biosynthesis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - biosynthesis; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Synapses - drug effects; Synapses - ultrastructure; Toxicology; CREB; Lanthanum; Memory; Hippocampus; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Encephalon; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Decrease; Animal; Chlorides; Transcription factor CREB
• ISSN: 0378-4274; 1879-3169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.07.016

Surveys have reported that rare-earth elements (REEs) could impair cognitive functions of children. Experimental studies have shown the neurological adverse effects of REEs on animals. However, the mechanism underlying these impairments is unclear. Lanthanum is often selected to study the effects of REEs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the memory impairment induced by lanthanum chloride (LaCl
3) exposure and the possible mechanism from the aspects of expression of CREB signal pathway and synaptic ultrastructure in the hippocampus. Lactational rats were exposed to 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.0% LaCl
3 in drinking water, respectively. Their offspring were exposed to LaCl
3 by parental lactation for 3 weeks and then administrated with 0%, 0.25%, 0.50% and 1.0% LaCl
3 in drinking water for 1 month. The results showed that 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.0% LaCl
3 exposure could significantly impair memory of young rats. Hippocampal pCaMK IV, pMAPK, pCREB, c-fos and egr1 expression were decreased significantly, and synaptic ultrastructure was negatively affected after LaCl
3 exposure. These results indicate that LaCl
3 exposure impairs memory of rats and this impairment may be attributed to the lower levels of pCaMK IV, pMAPK, pCREB, c-fos and egr1 expression and change of synaptic ultrastructure in hippocampus.