Effect of fluoride on calcium ion concentration and expression of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B ρ65 in rat hippocampus

The study investigated the neurotoxicity of drinking water fluorosis in rat hippocampus. Just weaning male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were given 15, 30, 60 mg/L NaF solution and tap water for 9 months. The calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]) in synaptosomes was measured by double wavelength fluorescence spectrophotometer and the expression level of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B ρ65 (NF-κB ρ65) in hippocampal CA3 region was measured by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that [Ca2+] significantly increased (F=33.218, P<0.01) in moderate fluoride group compared with the control group, and the expression level of NF-κB ρ65 in CA3 region presented an increasing trend as fluoride concentration increased. These results indicate that increase of synaptosomes [Ca2+] and NF-κB ρ65 expression level may be the molecular basis of central nervous system damage caused by chronic fluoride intoxication. NF-κB ρ65 in CA3 region is probably a target molecule for fluorosis.