Postnatal Effects of the Ethanol on the Encephalon Mass and Neocortex Architecture in Wistar Rat Offspring Submitted to Acute Prenatal Injection [E12] and in vitro Ethanol Effects on Wistar Rat and Human Erythrocytes
Karolyne Cordeiro-de-Oliveira *
Post Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil and Department of Structural Biology, Biomathematics Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil.
Tainá de Abreu
Museum of Morphology, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas-TO, Brazil.
Sylla Figueredo-da-Silva
Collegiate Medicine, Tocantins State University, Augustinopolis, Tocantins State, Brazil.
Ediana Vasconcelos-da-Silva
Collegiate Medicine, Federal University of Northern, Araguaina, Tocantins State, Brazil.
Raíne Piva-Amaral
Institute of Natural Sciencse, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil.
Danyelle Silva-Amaral
Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Micheli Patrícia de Fátima Magri
Department of Nursing, Institute of Sciences and Health, Paulista University, São José do Rio Pardo-SP, Brazil.
Rogerio Benedito de Brito
Post Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil.
Rafael Bretas Vieira
Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Japan.
Rosângela Correa Rodrigues
Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Bahia-BA, Brazil.
Breno Régis Santos
Post Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil and Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Genotoxicity Plant Biotecnology, Institute of Nature Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil.
Tales Alexandre Aversi-Ferreira *
Post Graduation Program in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil and Department of Structural Biology, Biomathematics Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Science, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas-MG, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To verify the ethanol effects of the acute injections in pregnant Wistar rats (E12) on the offspring in P8. Additionally, measures of the brain and corporal masses and the stability of erythrocytes were performed in rats and humans.
Study Design: Histological analysis and a spectrophotometer were used to count neural cells and osmotic fragility in erythrocytes.
Place and Duration of Study: The immunohistochemistry study was partially performed at the Federal University of Uberlândia, and at the University of Toyama-Japan, the experiments on the brain, body masses, and stability of erythrocyte membranes in humans were performed from 2012 to 2014.
Methodology: Eighteen pregnant female rats (180-230g) were housed in cages at 22 ± 0.4°C on a 12 h light/dark cycle with free access to food and water. On the 11th day of pregnancy (E12), 12 rats received three intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of a 20% ethanol solution (3 g of ethanol/kg of body weight) at 8 hours intervals.
Results: The number of neural cells was lower in rats treated with ethanol than to controls to each lobe and total count in all lobes (P = 0.001). Significant alterations of neocortical tissue in ethanol-treated were observed, as the decrease of brain mass (P = 0.05) in linear regression. The stability of erythrocyte membranes was verified with D50 equal to 0.46 g·dL-1 (± 0.05).
Conclusion: According to this work, the ethanol injection in the rats showed marked brain tissue destruction relative to the control, and ethanol’s effects on erythrocytes indicated that membrane destruction could be one of the causes of brain cell disruption in neural migration.
Keywords: Neocortex, drug effects, ethanol, erythrocytes