Lead contamination induces neurodegeneration in prefrontal cortex of Wistar rats

Year 2018, Volume: 12 Issue: 3, 128 - 134, 31.12.2018

Temidayo Adeniyi , Peter Achukwu

Abstract

Objectives: Neurodegenerative disorders have been associated with several environmental
pollutants such as heavy metals. This study aimed at investigating the
neurodegenerative impact of lead concentration obtained from the waterways in
Kwara State, Nigeria on Wistar rats.

Methods:
Twenty-first filial generation inbred adult male Wistar rats (Rattus
norvegicus) with an average weight of 150–180 g were divided into two groups of
ten animals. The highest mean concentration of lead obtained from the waterways
of the three geographical zones of Kwara Nigeria was administered with water
(0.009 mg of Pb(CH3CO2).3H2O per milliliter solution) to rats in the treatment
group ad libitum for 65 days. The harvested prefrontal cortex was processed for
paraffin embedding and the sections were stained for haematoxylin and eosin
stain and Bielschowsky’s silver impregnation stain, and glial fibrillary acidic
protein (GFAP) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) immunohistochemistry.

Results:
The histochemical stainings revealed shreds of evidence of neuronal
degeneration in the treatment group compared to the control group.
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed marked astrocytosis, the hallmark of
neuroinflammation, with induced oxidative stress in the treatment group
compared to the control group.

Conclusion: These results indicate lead obtained from the three geographical zones of
Kwara Nigeria may have a possible pathogenic role in development of
neurodegenerative disorders and emphasize the effects of exposure to this
environmental pollutant. 

 

Keywords

Neurodegenerative disorders, environmental pollutants, lead, oxidative stress

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