2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID THROUGH LACTATION INDUCES ASTROGLIOSISIN RAT-BRAIN

Comparison of astroglial immunoreactivity in mesencephalon, cerebellum , and hippocampus of 25-d-old rat pups exposed to 2,4-dichlorophenoxya cetic acid (2,4-D) through the mother's milk was made using a quantita tive immunohistochemical analysis. A glial reaction was detected at th e level of serotonergic nuclei and extreme astrogliosis in the hippoca mpus and cerebellum. A quantitative analysis of reactive astrocytes wa s performed by using GFAP and S-100 protein as specific markers. The s tudy showed a significant increase in their number, size, number of pr ocesses, and density of immunostaining in 2,4-D-exposed animals.Exposu re to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on the first days of life modifie s the astroglial cytoarchitecture in parallel to previously described neuronal changes.