ABSTRACT
@#Abstract: Objective ， To explore the effects of lead exposure on copper level copper transporter protein expression and Methods oxidative stress in mouse cerebral cortex. The specific pathogen free adult male C57BL/6 mice were randomly ， - - - divided into control group low lead exposure group and high lead exposure group with 10 mice in each group. The mice in low - ， and high lead exposure groups were respectively given 250 and 500 mg/L lead acetate in drinking water every day and the mice - ， in the control group were given double distilled water for 12 weeks. Twenty four hours after exposure Morris water maze and ， elevated cross maze were used to test the neurobehavioral function of mice. The cerebral cortex of mice was isolated and the levels of lead and copper were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The activities of glutathione （ - ）， （ ） （ ） peroxidase GSH Px catalase CAT and malondialdehyde MDA were detected by histochemical method. The relative （ ） ， ， expression levels of copper transporter such as synthesis of cytochrome C oxidase SCO 1 SCO 2 and cytochrome C oxidase （ ） Results - - assembly protein 11 COX11 were detected by western blot. The escape latencies of mice in the low and high lead （ P ）， ， - exposure groups were prolonged all <0.05 while the number of crossing the platform the percentage of open arm entry - （ P ） times and the percentage of open arm retention time decreased all <0.05 compared with the control group. Mice in both the - - （ P ）， - low and high lead exposure groups increased levels of lead and copper in the cerebral cortex all <0.05 decreased GSH Px （ P ）， （ P ） and CAT activity all <0.05 and increased SCO1 relative expression all <0.05 compared with the control group. Mice in - （P ）， - the high lead exposure group showed prolonged escape latency <0.05 reduced GSH Px and CAT activities in the cerebral （ P ）， （ P ） - cortex all <0.05 increased MDA level and relative expression of SCO1 and SCO2 all <0.05 compared to mice in the low Conclusion - lead exposure group. Lead exposure increased the expression of copper and copper transport related proteins in mouse cerebral cortex and induced oxidative stress leading to central nervous system damage resulting in neurobehavioral abnormalities in mice.