EFFECTS OF ACUTE NICOTINE EXPOSURE ON CASPASE-3 EXPRESSION AND APOPTOSIS OF NEURON IN THE ADOLESCENT RAT'S BRAIN / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effects of acute nicotine exposure on expression of Caspase-3 and apoptosis of neuron in adolescent rat's brain. Methods The Caspase-3 expression was detected with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Apoptosis cells were detected by TUNEL method. Results The Caspase-3 expression in cerebral cortex, hippocampal dentate gyrus, CA2 and CA3 of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group through immunohistiochemistry. The expression of Caspase-3 prototype and active fragments in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group with Western blotting. The TUNEL positive cells in cerebral cortex and hippocampal dentate gyrus of the experimental group were more than that of the control group.Conclusion Acute nicotine exposure can activate Caspase-3 and increase neuron apoptosis in cerebral cortex and hippocampal dentate gyrus of the adolescent rat's brain.