Effects of maternal lead exposure on learning and memory and the expression of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase in mice offspring

Aim:To study the effects of lead exposure during mice pregnancy on learning and memory and the expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation(P-JNK) in hippocampus of their offspring.Methods:Lead exposure was conducted through freely drinking the corresponding lead acetate solutions with dosages of 0.3 g/L(low dose lead exposure),1.0 g/L(mid dose lead exposure) and 3.0 g/L(high dose lead exposure),respectively.The control group was not treated.Each group was composed of 10 pregnant mice.On the 21st day after birth,the ability of learning and memory of the offspring mice was detected by the morris maze test,the lead contents in blood and hippocampus were determined,and the expression of P-JNK protein in hippocampus of all the offspring was detected by Western Blot.Results:In morris maze experiment,the number of errors and the escape latent time among the 4 groups had significant differences,which were increased in the lead exposure groups(F=302.475 and 26.902,P0.001).The lead levels in blood and hippocampus among the 4 groups had significant differences(F=53.139 and 9.392,P=0.003 and 0.001),which were higher in lead exposure groups than those in the control group.The expression of P-JNK protein in hippocampus among the 4 groups had significant differences(F=67.103,P0.001),which was higher in lead exposure groups than that in the control group.Conclusion:Lead can cause nervous system damage through enhancing the phosphorylation of JNK protein in hippocampus of mouse pups,which might affect learning and memory.