The Effect of Chronic Fluorosis on Calcium Ions and CaMKIIalpha, and c-fos Expression in the Rat Hippocampus.

This study investigated neurotoxicity of chronic fluorosis in the rat hippocampus. Newly weaning, male, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administered 15, 30, and 60 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF) solution (fluorine ion concentration 8.25, 16.50, and 33.00 mg/L, respectively), and tap water, for 18 months. The neurotoxicological mechanism was examined with a focus on intracellular calcium overload. Results showed that as the fluoride concentration increased, calcium ion concentration [Ca(2+)], the expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIalpha), and the expression of catus proto-oncogene protein c-fos (c-fos) all tend to increase. Compared to the control group, Ca(2+), CaMKIIalpha, and c-fos significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the moderate-fluoride and the high-fluoride groups. These results indicate that Ca(2+)/CaMKIIalpha/c-fos channel signal may be the molecular mechanism of central nervous system damage caused by chronic fluoride intoxication. Moreover, elevated Ca(2+) concentration in the hippocampus may be the initiating factor of neuronal apoptosis induced by fluoride.