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Updated: Mar 6, 2026
Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
Published on: March 6, 2018
[Effects of embryonic lead exposure on motor function and balance ability in offspring rats and possible mechanisms]
Jian-Ping Zhou1, Fan Wang, Xue-Ying Wang
1Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China. zjp1974@sohu.com.
Insights
Embryonic lead exposure in rats impairs motor function and balance in offspring. This neurodevelopmental issue is linked to increased c-Fos expression and abnormal mossy fiber sprouting in the hippocampus.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Toxicology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Lead is a known neurotoxin with detrimental effects on developing brains.
- Embryonic exposure to environmental toxins can lead to long-term health consequences in offspring.
- Understanding the specific impacts of lead on motor and balance functions is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of embryonic lead exposure on motor function and balance in rat offspring.
- To elucidate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms, focusing on hippocampal changes.
Main Methods:
- An animal model was established using pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to lead acetate.
- Offspring rats were assessed for motor function (body turning test) and balance (coat hanger test).
- Hippocampal tissue was analyzed for c-Fos expression and mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) using immunohistochemistry and Timm's staining.
Main Results:
- Lead-exposed offspring exhibited significantly impaired motor function and balance ability compared to controls.
- Increased c-Fos-positive neurons were observed in the hippocampal CA1 region in a dose-dependent manner.
- Abnormal mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) was significantly elevated in the hippocampal CA3 region and dentate gyrus of exposed rats.
Conclusions:
- Embryonic lead exposure adversely affects motor function and balance in offspring rats.
- These deficits are associated with increased hippocampal c-Fos expression and aberrant MFS.
- The findings highlight critical neurodevelopmental impacts of prenatal lead exposure.
Objective:
To explore the effects of embryonic lead exposure on motor function and balance ability in offspring rats and the possible mechanisms.
Methods:
An animal model of embryonic lead exposure was prepared with the use of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats freely drinking 0.1% (low-dose group, LG) or 0.2% (high-dose group, HG) lead acetate solution. A normal control group (NG) was also set. The male offspring rats of these pregnant rats were included in the study, consisting of 12 rats in the NG group, 10 rats in the LG group, and 9 rats in the HG group. The offspring rats' motor function and balance ability were evaluated using body turning test and coat hanger test. Eight rats were randomly selected from each group, and immunohistochemistry and Timm's staining were employed to measure the expression of c-Fos and mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) in the hippocampus.
Results:
The HG group had a significantly longer body turning time than the NG and LG groups (P<0.05), and the LG group had a significantly longer body turning time than the NG group (P<0.05). The HG group had a significantly lower score of balance ability than the NG and LG groups (P<0.05), and the LG group had a significantly lower score of balance ability than the NG group (P<0.05). The area percentage of c-Fos-positive neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region was significantly higher in the HG group than in the other two groups (P<0.05), and it was significantly higher in the LG group than in the NG group (P<0.05). The semi-quantitative scores of MFS in the hippocampal CA3 region and dentate gyrus were significantly higher in the HG group than in the other two groups (P<0.05), and they were significantly higher in the LG group than in the NG group (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
Embryonic lead exposure could impair the offspring rats' motor function and balance ability. These changes may be related to increased c-Fos expression in the hippocampal CA3 region and abnormal MFS in the hippocampal CA3 region and dentate gyrus.
