RESUMEN
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of alcohol exposure during pregnancy on learning and memory and content of hydrogen sulfide(H2S) in the hippocampus of infant rats.MethodsThe animal models of alcohol exposure during pregnancy were made,and the learning and memory were evaluated by Y-maze in adult offspring.Content of H2S and activity of cystathionine-beta-synthase(GBS) in the hippocampus of the brain were evaluated with spectrophotometry;and CBS protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry.ResultsThe learning and memory ( (43.00 ± 15.33 ) times) of alcohol exposure during pregnancy group was significantly decreased compared with that of control and drinking groups (( 25.13 ± 12.35 )times and (26.12 ±11.95 ) times,P ＜ 0.05 ) ; spectrophotometry results showed that the content of H2S ( ( 30.32 ± 5.84 ) nmoL/g) of alcohol exposure during pregnancy group was significantly increased compared with that of control ( ( 52.51 ±7.85 ) nmol/g) and drinking groups( (49.93 ± 4.29 ) nmol/g),and the activity of CBS( ( 55.13 ± 4.45 ) nmol/g)of alcohol exposure during pregnancy group was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01 ) compared with that of control ( (71.06 ± 5.58 ) nmol/g) and drinking groups( (69.96 ± 6.13 ) nmol/g) ; immunohistochemistry showed that the expressionof CBSproteinofalcoholexposureduringpregnancygroupwassignificantlyincreased.ConclusionThe damage effect of alcohol exposure during pregnancy on nerve system of infant rats may interrelate with down-regulation of H2S/CBS in the hippocampus.