Lanthanum enhances glutamate–nitric oxide–3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway in the hippocampus of rats

Abstract

Lanthanum (La) appears to impair learning and memory and increase the toxicity of excitatory amino acids in the central nervous system. The mechanism underlying excitotoxicity induced by La is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the hippocampal impairment of La exposure and possible mechanism involving the glutamate–nitric oxide (NO)–3′-5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway. In this study, lactating rats were exposed to 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0% lanthanum chloride (LaCl₃) in drinking water, respectively. Their offsprings were exposed to LaCl₃ by parental lactation and then administrated with 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0% LaCl₃ in drinking water for 1 month. The results showed that La exposure impaired the neuronal ultrastructure and significantly increased the glutamate level, intracellular calcium ion concentrations, and NR1 and NR2B expression in the hippocampi. La exposure significantly enhanced messenger RNA expression and activity levels of inducible NO synthase and increased NO and cGMP levels in the hippocampi in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that the mechanism underlying excitotoxicity induced by La is possibly due to alterations of the glutamate–NO–cGMP signaling pathway in the hippocampus. The study provides new findings that may help prevent and improve treatments for La-induced neurotoxicity.