RGD Reference Report - Toluene disrupts synaptogenesis in cultured hippocampal neurons. - Rat Genome Database

Send us a Message



Submit Data |  Help |  Video Tutorials |  News |  Publications |  Download |  REST API |  Citing RGD |  Contact   

Toluene disrupts synaptogenesis in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Authors: Lin, HM  Liu, CY  Jow, GM  Tang, CY 
Citation: Lin HM, etal., Toxicol Lett. 2009 Jan 30;184(2):90-6. Epub 2008 Nov 7.
RGD ID: 2314402
Pubmed: PMID:19038319   (View Abstract at PubMed)
DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.toxlet.2008.10.027   (Journal Full-text)

Prenatal toluene exposure may lead to significant developmental neurotoxicity known as fetal solvent syndrome. Emerging evidence suggests that toluene embryopathy may arise from an elusive deviation of the neurogenesis process. One key event during neural development is synaptogenesis, which is essential for the progression of neuronal differentiation and the establishment of neuronal network. We therefore aim to test the hypothesis that toluene may interfere with synaptogenesis by applying toluene to cultured hippocampal neurons dissected from embryonic rat brains. In the presence of toluene, hippocampal neurons displayed a significant loss of the immunostaining of synapsin and densin-180 punctas. Notably, a dramatic reduction was also discerned for the colocalization of the two synaptic markers. Moreover, Western blotting analyses revealed that toluene exposure resulted in considerable down-regulation of the expression of synapse-specific proteins. None of the preceding observations can be attributed to toluene-induced cell death effects, since toluene treatments failed to affect the viability of hippocampal neurons. Overall, our data are consistent with the idea that toluene may alter the expression and localization of essential synaptic proteins, thereby leading to a disruption of synapse formation and maintenance.

Gene Ontology Annotations    Click to see Annotation Detail View

Biological Process
TermQualifierEvidenceWithReferenceNotesSourceOriginal Reference(s)
response to organic cyclic compound  IEP 2314402 RGD 

Objects Annotated

Genes (Rattus norvegicus)
Lrrc7  (leucine rich repeat containing 7)


Additional Information