Objective: To explore the effect of aluminium on neural behavior and the expressions of apoptosis genes in weaning rats in order to make out the mechanism of damage of CNS development.
Methods: Weaning Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Aluminium chloride was administrated by water at the doses of 0.2%, 0.4% (m/v) for 12 weeks. Aluminium concentrations in blood were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Platform experiment was used to detect the activities of neural behavior including learning and memory. Evaluation of apoptosis parameters in hippocampus Fas and Bcl-2 protein expressions were estimated by an immunohistochemical study. Light microscope was used to observe the morphological changes of hippocampus through HE and nissle stain.
Results: The brain coefficient in high-dose exposed group was remarkably lower than the control group. The blood aluminium and brain aluminium concentrations increased significantly with the increase of doses (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The incubation shortened and mistake times increased significantly related with the dose of aluminium (P < 0.01). The decreases of expression of Bcl-2 protein and the increases of expression of Fas protein in hippocampus were related with the doses of aluminium (P < 0.01). Changes of the morphological structure of hippocampus under light microscope were not found in exposed groups.
Conclusion: Aluminium could influence the activities of learning and memory and could reduce the expression of Bcl-2 and promote the expression of Fas.