Alternate cadmium exposure differentially affects the content of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and taurine within the hypothalamus, median eminence, striatum and prefrontal cortex of male rats

Abstract

This work examines changes of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and taurine contents in the hypothalamus, striatum and prefrontal cortex of the rat after an alternate schedule of cadmium administration. Age-associated changes were also evaluated, of those before puberty and after adult age. In control rats GABA content decreased with age in the median eminence and in anterior, mediobasal and posterior hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex and the striatum. Taurine content showed similar results with the exception of mediobasal hypothalamus and striatum, where no changes were detected. In pubertal rats treated with cadmium from 30 to 60 days of life, GABA content significantly decreased in all brain regions except in the striatum. When cadmium was administered from day 60 to 90 of life, GABA content was significantly changed in prefrontal cortex only compared with the age matched controls. Taurine content showed similar results in pubertal rats, with the exception of the median eminence and the mediobasal hypothalamus, neither of which showed a change. However, when cadmium was administered to rats from day 60 to 90 of life, taurine content only changed in prefrontal cortex compared with the age matched controls. These results suggest that cadmium differentially affects GABA and taurine contents within the hypothalamus, median eminence, striatum and prefrontal cortex as a function of age.

Effects of taurine on cadmium exposure in muscle, gill, and bone tissues ofCarassius auratus

“…In a previous experiment, the concentrations of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and taurine were measured in the hypothalamus, median eminence, striatum, and prefrontal cortex of mice following cadmium exposure. The authors observed decreased GABA levels in every area of the brain except the striatum, and similar levels of taurine were measured in all areas except the mediobasal hypothalamus and striatum [7]. …”

Cadmium chloride exposure modifies amino acid daily pattern in the mediobasal hypothalamus in adult male rat

“…Experimental studies have dealt with the eff ects of cadmium in synaptic neurotransmission in rat brain (Minami et al, 2001;, brain antioxidant status (increased acetylcholinesterase activity and decreased total antioxidant status) (Carageorgiou et al, 2004), histopathology in developing rat brain (Wong and Klaassen, 1982) and rat neurotransmitter levels (simple sample) in diff erent brain areas such as median eminence, striatum, prefrontal cortex (Esquifi no et al, 2001;Lafuente et al, 2001a), forebrain (Wong et al, 1981) and amygdala (Minami et al, 2001). These include the hypothalamus, which appears to be a target region for this xenobiotic, as it accumulates at this level (Pillai et al, 2003), and it has been shown to induce alterations on aminergic (Das et al, 1993;Lafuente and Esquifi no, 1999;Lafuente et al, 2001b;Pillai et al, 2003) and aminoacidergic (Wong et al, 1981;Minami et al, 2001;Esquifi no et al, 2001;Lafuente et al, 2001aLafuente et al, , 2005b transmitter systems in this same brain area.…”