Elevation of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase and Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in the Mouse Brain after Chronic Nonylphenol Exposure |
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| Authors: | Yan-Qiu Zhang Zhen Mao Yuan-Lin Zheng Bao-Ping Han Ling-Tong Chen Jing Li Fei Li |
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| Affiliation: | 1 School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China;2 Key Laboratory for Biotechnology on Medicinal Plants of Jiangsu Province, School of Life Science, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China |
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| Abstract: | The present study was performed to investigate the effects of chronic administration of nonylphenol (NP) on the expression of inflammation-related genes in the brains of mice. NP was given orally by gavages at 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/d. The expression of inflammatory enzymes, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting assays. The nitric oxide (NO) level and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity were also measured by biochemical analyses. The results showed that NP at a high dose (200 mg/kg/d) significantly increased the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in both the hippocampus and cortex. In parallel with the increase in iNOS expression, the NO level was significantly greater at the dose of 200 mg/kg/d, compared to the control. The activity of NOS was also increased in the brain of mice at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg/d. These findings demonstrate that NP may have the potential to induce the chronic inflammation or cause neurotoxicity in the mouse brain. |
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| Keywords: | Nonylphenol iNOS COX-2 NO brain |
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