The effects of PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy on placental ET-1 and eNOS expression and the birth weight of offspring

• Published in: International journal of developmental neuroscience 2015-06, Vol.43 (1), p.86-91
• Main Authors: Du, Peili, Li, Zhihua, Du, Lili, Zhang, Huili, Zhou, Yanmei, Sun, Wen, Xiao, Xue, He, Yutian, Sun, Bin, Yu, Yanhong, Chen, Dunjin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Arachis hypogaea; Body Weight - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelin-1 - genetics; Endothelin-1 - metabolism; eNOS; ET-1; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - drug effects; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - toxicity; Male; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; PBDE-209; Placenta; Placenta - drug effects; Placenta - metabolism; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - chemically induced; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - physiopathology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; RNA, Messenger - metabolism
• ISSN: 0736-5748; 1873-474X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.03.011

•PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy reduces the birth weight of the offspring rats.•PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy increases the mRNA level of ET-1 in the placenta.•PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy reduces the mRNA level of eNOS in the placenta.•PBDE-209 exposure during pregnancy increases the mRNA level of iNOS in the placenta.•The expression pattern of three proteins is consistent with that of mRNA expression.•Total NO is significantly increased after exposure to 5 and 10ml/kg PBDE-209. Decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209) is a persistent organic pollutant. Gestational exposure to PBDE-209 can accumulate in pregnant women and fetuses via the placenta and umbilical cord, affecting perinatal outcome. In this study, pregnant Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into five groups and intragastrically administered peanut oil (vehicle) 1, 5 and 10mg/kg by body weight (b.w.) of PBDE-209, or nothing (control) from day 0 (G0) to day 21 (G21) gestation, respectively. Placental samples were collected on G21 by cesarean section. The mRNA and protein expressions of ET-1, eNOS and iNOS in the placenta were examined using qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Total nitric oxide (NO) in the placenta was measured using a specific ELISA kit. Compared with the control and vehicle groups, the mRNA expression of ET-1 and iNOS in the placenta was gradually and significantly increased after exposure to increasing concentrations of PBDE-209 (P