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Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Changes Daily Rhythm Genes in Brain Cells Controlling Beta-Endorphin
Updated
Abstract
Fetal ethanol exposure significantly alters the circadian function of beta-endorphin neurons.
- Rats exposed to ethanol during gestational days 10-21 exhibited abnormal circadian expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA in the hypothalamus during adulthood.
- Altered circadian expression of clock genes rPer1, rPer2, and rPer3 was observed in the arcuate nucleus of fetal ethanol-exposed rats.
- Increased levels of rPer1 and rPer2 mRNA were found in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in these rats.
- Constitutive expression of rPer1, rPer2, and rPer3 genes was identified in beta-endorphin-containing neurons through laser captured microdissection analysis.
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