Exposure of pregnant rats to uranium and restraint stress: Effects on postnatal development and behavior of the offspring

Uranium modifies or not behavior and antioxidant status in the hippocampus of rats exposed since birth

“…Briner and Abboud have demonstrated that mice exposed to U during development, through exposure of their dams for two weeks before and after mating, show altered learning and habituation at 21 days of age (Briner and Abboud, 2002). Slight effects of U were also observed on the learning profiles of the offspring of adult rats exposed before mating, for passive avoidance and water maze tests Sánchez et al, 2006). Certain environmental contaminants can induce and exacerbate developmental neurotoxic effects when these agents are present during a critical period of neonatal brain development (Eriksson, 1997;Eriksson et al, 2010).…”

Depleted Uranium and Its Effects on Humans

“…Adult female rats were administered uranyl acetate dihydrate in the drinking water at doses of 0, 40 and 80 mg/(kg day) for four weeks before mating with untreated males, as well as during pregnancy and lactation. The results of that study indicate that, in general terms, exposure of female rats to uranyl acetate dihydrate before mating with untreated males, as well as during gestation and lactation, did not cause relevant dose-related adverse effects on postnatal development and behavior of the offspring [52].…”

Modes of action associated with uranium induced adverse effects in bone function and development

“…The available evidence from developmental toxicity studies suggests that uranium can directly target osteoblasts, affect their differentiation and function, and delay bone development during prenatal and early postnatal life stages (Bosque et al, 1992(Bosque et al, , 1993aDomingo et al, 1989;Pujadas Bigi et al, 2003;Wade-Gueye et al, 2012). Uranium has also been shown to cross the placenta and accumulate in the bones, liver and kidney of developing fetuses (Benson, 2001;Sanchez et al, 2006). Sanchez et al (2006) reported that uranium accumulation in the bones of exposed fetuses was higher than in the fetal kidneys, an organ which is generally considered to be a primary target of uranium toxicity (Arzuaga et al, 2010;ATSDR, 2013).…”

“…Uranium has also been shown to cross the placenta and accumulate in the bones, liver and kidney of developing fetuses (Benson, 2001;Sanchez et al, 2006). Sanchez et al (2006) reported that uranium accumulation in the bones of exposed fetuses was higher than in the fetal kidneys, an organ which is generally considered to be a primary target of uranium toxicity (Arzuaga et al, 2010;ATSDR, 2013). Uranium is also known to accumulate in areas of bone growth (Neuman et al, 1948;Rodrigues et al, 2013;Rowland and Farnham, 1969), where active calcification is occurring Durbin and Wrenn, 1975).…”