Aluminum inhibits non-amyloid pathways via retinoic acid receptor.

Background: Aluminium neurotoxicity has been widely confirmed and mainly manifests as cognitive impairment. Al can inhibit the expression of ADAM10, a key enzyme of the nonamyloid pathway, but its mechanism of toxicity has not been fully elucidated. Studies have shown that RARs can regulate ADAM10 expression.

[Study of the correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure during pregnancy and neonatal neurobehavioral development in Taiyuan and Changzhi cities].

Objective: To compare the difference of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in the urban air and the scores of Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment (NBNA) between Taiyuan and Changzhi cities and to explore the effects of PAHs in the urban air during pregnancy on neonatal behavioral neurological development.

Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with subsequent fluorescence detection was used to determine the PAHs levels in the cooperational hospitals in Changzhi and Taiyuan cities and the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels of the 297 pregnant women living Changzhi and Taiyuan cities during Nov. 2009 to May 2010.

[Effects of benzo(a)pyrene on apoptosis of neuronal cells and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in rat brain tissue].

Objective: To observe the effects of Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on apoptosis of neuronal cells and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins and to explore the mechanism of neurotoxicity induced by BaP in rats.

Methods: A total of 32 SD rats were divided randomly into 4 groups, i.e.

Characteristic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cell apoptosis in coke oven workers.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) apoptosis in coke oven workers so that we can take effective measures to protect coke oven workers.

Methods: The subjects, 129 coke oven workers and 37 warehouse workers (controls), were investigated using a questionnaire to collect information about their age, working years, smoking and drinking habits, vocational history and other general information. The coke oven workers were divided into the oven-bottom group (34), oven-side group (48) and oven-top group (47) according to their working sites and environmental monitoring data.

[The developmental neurotoxic effects in offspring of pregnant rats exposed to benzo[a]pyrene].

Objective: To study the effects of prenatal exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on the physical development, early behavioral development, the adaptability to new environment and the learning and memory ability of rat offspring.

Methods: Pregnant rats were randomly divided into five groups: control group, olive oil group, 3 exposure groups (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg B [a]P). The rats were exposed to B [a]P) by intraperitoneal injection on the 17th-19th days during gestation.

[Cell toxicity assessment methodologies applied in the study of the toxicity of nano-alumina to nerve cells].

Objective: To observe the effect of nano-alumina on nerve cell viability through different detection kits of cell viability, using micro-alumina and nano-carbon as controls.

Methods: Primary culturing nerve cells of mouse in vitro, which were exposed to 7 doses of 0 µmol/L, 62.5 µmol/L, 125.

[Changes of mitochondria membrane potential and cytoplasmic cytochrome C in neuron apoptosis induced by benzo(a)pyrene].

Objective: To investigate the changes of mitochondria membrane potential and cytoplasma cytochrome C as the mechanism of neuron apoptosis induced by B(a)P.

Methods: Primary neurons were dissociated from cerebral cortex of 1 - 3 days old SD rats and cultured with DMEM incubator at 37 degrees C. After 5 days' cultivation, the neurons were added S9 and B(a)P, and the concentrations of treated B(a)P were 0, 10, 20 and 40 micromol/L respectively.

[Relationship between CYP1A1 gene polymorphisms and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in coke oven workers].

Objective: To study the associations of CYP1A1 gene polymorphisms with levels of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene among coke oven workers.

Methods: 223 male workers from a coke plant (76, 82 and 65 workers in oven top group, oven-side group and oven-bottom group respectively) and 119 controls without occupational polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure were selected. The MspI gene polymorphism in CYP1A1 3' flanking region and the genotypes at I462V site in exon 7 of CYP1A1 were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele specific amplification (ASA).

[Influence of benzo[a]pyrene on learning and memory and content of amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus of rats].

Objective: To study the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on capability of learning and memory and the content of amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus of rats.

Methods: Thirty-two healthy, male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to their weights after intubated into ventricles: the solvent control group, 2.5, 5.

[Characteristic of the neurobehavioral functional changes in coke oven workers].

Objective: To explore the effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the neurobehavioral function of coke oven workers.

Methods: 200 healthy adult male coke oven workers were selected from a coke plant of a state-owned steel enterprise in Taiyuan City. 88 controls occupationally unexposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were selected from the same enterprise.

Effects of benzo[a]pyrene on autonomic nervous system of coke oven workers.

Objectives are to investigate the effects of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on the autonomic nervous system of coke oven workers. One hundred eighty-four coke oven workers were divided into 3 groups according to their working sites (coke oven bottom group, coke oven side group and coke oven top group), and 93 referents were recruited. B[a]P monitored by air sampling pumps as well as urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-Py) was determined by high performance liquid chromatograph with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD).

[Relationship between aryl hydrocarbon receptor G1661A gene polymorphism and level of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene of coke oven workers].

Objective: To study the relationship between polymorphism of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) gene in G1661A and the level of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene among coke oven workers.

Methods: 295 male subjects were studied, including 214 workers working in coke oven plant and 81 controls working in raw material plant who were not generally exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occupationally. General in-formation of subjects were collected in a specific questionnaire including age, smoking and drinking habits, the history of occupation and so on.

Protective effects of hepatocellular canalicular conjugate export pump (Mrp2) on sodium arsenite-induced hepatic dysfunction in rats.

Arsenic is a double-edged sword to human health. The excretion of various organic anions into bile is mediated by an adenosine triphosphate-dependent conjugate export pump, which has been identified as the canalicular isoform of the multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2). It has been proved that Mrp2 can transport arsenite in vitro, but its effects in vivo are not clear.

[Relationship between lipid peroxidation in blood and neurobehavioral function changes in coke oven workers].

Objective: To explore the coincidence of lipid peroxidation and neurobehavioral function changes in coke oven workers.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-four coke oven workers were divided into three groups: 35 in the oven-bottom group, 49 in the oven-side group and 50 in oven-top group. WHO recommended NCTB was performed on coke oven workers and 36 controls from material conservation department; The contents of total superoxide dismutases (T-SOD), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in blood were determined by test kits.