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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Long-term Behavioral and Reproductive Consequences of Embryonic Exposure to Low-dose Toxicants
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Identification of differentially expressed genes response to TCDD in rat brain after long-term low-dose exposure

Yangsheng Chen1, Li Xu1, Heidi Q H Xie1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

Journal of Environmental Sciences (China)
|January 1, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Low-dose dioxin exposure in rats impaired the nervous system, affecting synaptic plasticity and neuro-immune pathways. This study identified key genes and pathways involved in dioxin

Area of Science:

  • Neurotoxicology
  • Environmental Health
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cohort studies suggest dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs may cause neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
  • Limited research exists on the specific mechanisms underlying dioxin-induced neurotoxicity.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for assessing health risks associated with dioxin exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular mechanisms of low-dose dioxin exposure on the rat nervous system.
  • To identify differentially expressed genes and affected biological pathways in the brain.
  • To explore potential toxicological targets and affected systems for dioxin.

Main Methods:

  • Microarray analysis of brain samples from SD rats exposed to low-dose dioxin for six months.
  • Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis.
  • Validation of selected gene expression changes using real-time PCR.

Main Results:

  • Identified 145 up-regulated and 64 down-regulated genes in dioxin-exposed rat brains.
  • Significantly associated pathways included metabolic processes, interleukin-1 secretion, cholinergic synapse, and long-term potentiation.
  • Candidate biomarker genes (e.g., egr1, gad2, gabrb3) were identified as potential toxicological targets.

Conclusions:

  • Dioxin exposure significantly alters gene expression in the rat brain, impacting key neurological functions.
  • Synaptic plasticity and the neuro-immune system are principal areas affected by dioxin toxicity.
  • Identified genes and pathways provide insights into dioxin's neurotoxicological mechanisms and potential biomarkers.
Keywords:
Long-term exposureMicroarrayNeuroinflammationNeurotoxicityTCDD

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