Perinatal lead exposure alters the expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in rat brain

Environmental exposure to lead (Pb) is known to affect the developing nervous system causing cognitive deficits in children. The diffusible nitric oxide (NO) is a biological messenger known to be involved in brain development. We examined the developmental changes of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in cerebellum and hippocampus of developing rat brain by radiometric assay, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Pb-exposure (0.2% Pb acetate) was initiated on gestation day 6 through the drinking water of the dam and continued through birth and postnatal days (PNDs) 1 to 21. The pups were never exposed to Pb directly. Pb exposure was stopped on weaning of pups from mothers on PND 21. The changes in nNOS were measured in the offspring on PNDs 7, 14, 21, and 35. The nNOS activity was increased gradually from PNDs 7 to 35 in both cerebellum and hippocampus of control rats when the enzyme activity was determined in the presence of either 0.5 or 6 microM calcium (Ca2+) in the reaction mixture. However, Pb exposure decreased the nNOS activity significantly at PNDs 21 to 35 as compared to respective controls when the enzyme activity was determined in the presence of 6 microM Ca2+. The decrease of nNOS was even greater and evident at all PNDs tested when the enzyme activity was assayed in the presence of physiological concentration of Ca2+ (0.5 microM). These findings were further strengthened by the in vitro studies. The cerebellar nNOS activity was inhibited much more at low Ca2+ (0.5 microM) as compared to 6 microM Ca2+, with IC50 values of 35 and 50 nM Pb, respectively. The nNOS protein levels and immunoreactivity in the cerebellum and hippocampus of rats perinatally exposed to Pb were decreased as compared to controls at PNDs 21 and 35. These data suggest perinatal Pb exposure decreases the nNOS in the developing brain. The decrease of nNOS activity and protein may explain the Pb-mediated cognitive deficits because NO regulates long-term potentiation (LTP) and other neurophysiological events in the developing nervous system.