Effects of Prenatal Aflatoxin B1 Exposure on Behaviors of Rat Offspring

Abstract

The effects of prenatal aflatoxin B1 (AFB) exposure on eight behavioral parameters in Jcl:Wistar rat offspring were assessed. Pregnant rats were injected subcutaneously with 0.3 mg/kg/day of AFB dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide on days 11-14 (Group A) or 15-18 (Group B) of gestation. Controls received the vehicle similarly on days 11-18 of gestation. Before weaning, the offspring were examined using the cliff avoidance response (5 days of age), the negative geotaxis reflex (7 days), and swimming development (6, 8, and 10 days). After weaning, animals were examined using the rotarod test (5 weeks of age), the open field test (6 weeks), a conditioned avoidance learning test (14 weeks), an underwater T-maze test (15 weeks), and a reproduction test (16 weeks). The preweaning offspring in the AFB-A group showed significantly lower success rates than controls in cliff avoidance responses. In swimming development, the offspring in the AFB-A group had significantly lower scores than controls for swimming direction. In the rotarod test, the AFB-A group remained on the rod for a significantly shorter time than the controls at 15 rpm on both the first and second trial days. The avoidance performance of the rats in AFB-A and AFB -B groups was significantly poorer than that of controls. These results indicate that prenatal exposure to AFB produced a delay of early response development, impaired locomotor coordination, and impaired learning ability in the offspring of rats exposed to AFB during middle pregnancy, and the early gestational exposure appears to produce more effects than latter exposure.

Biosafety of multiwalled carbon nanotube in mice: a behavioral toxicological approach

“…Despite less evidences that confirmed an adverse effect of MWCNTs on neurobehavioral development in the present report, it is important to note that stage of pregnancy is important factor that can influence the risk to the fetus. Because exposure to various substances in early pregnancy (e.g., time exposure to MWCNTs in the present study) can induce lower developmental interference than other stage such as mid-organogenesis (Kihara et al, 1991;Koren and Pastuszak, 1998). Thus exposure to these nanomaterials in the other stage of pregnancy may induce far more destructive effects on fetus development.…”

“…Mice were tested for 5 min in an open field apparatus consists of a bright square with a diameter measuring 100 cm. The time of movement including walking or running (ambulation) and the time spent in the inner area of the arena (> 5 cm away from any wall) were monitored as locomotor activity and anxiety indices, respectively (Kihara et al, 1991;Wolansky et al, 2008). All parameters used to assess behaviors were recorded by a camera at the right angle above the open field apparatus.…”

Study of aflatoxin B1as a risk factor that impairs the reproductive performance in females – Egypt

“…Abdelhamid (2005) found that aflatoxin lowered the fertility to 13% and increased the mortality of embryos. Kihara et al (2000) indicated that prenatal exposure to AFB 1 produced a delay of early response development, impaired locomotor coordination, and impaired learning ability in the offspring of rats exposed to AFB 1 during mid-pregnancy, and early gestational exposure appeared to produce greater effects than later exposure. Although detection of AFB 1 in blood samples was confirmed by TLC (Abdelhamid et al 1999), HPLC, as well as by mass spectral analysis with standard errors (Tsuboi et al 1984), aflatoxin-serum albumin adducts have a longer half-life than low molecular weight aflatoxin derivatives which may be excreted rapidly.…”

Pyrethroid Based Mosquito Repellent Inhalation Induced Changes in Physical Activity in Albino Rats after Chronic Exposure

“…4 Albino rats weighing 100-150 g were taken. The animals were placed individually on a scraped rod of 7 cm in diameter and rotating at a rate of 5 revolutions per minute.…”