Prenatal Exposure to a Low Dose of 4-Hydroxy-2′, 3, 3′, 4′, 5′-Pentachlorobiphenyl Increases Emotional Behaviors in Mice

Abstract

Hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyl (OH-PCB) is a major metabolite of PCB, which is an endocrine disruptor. In this study, we investigated the neurobehavioral effects of prenatal exposure to a very low dose of OH-PCB (4-hydroxy-2′, 3, 3′, 4′, 5′-pentachlorobiphenyl, 4-OH-pentaCB) in mice. 4-OH-pentaCB, dissolved in corn oil, was orally given at 0.1 μg/30 μl/animal/day to pregnant mice from gestation days 11 to 17. In the open field test, the number of ambulation and rearing drastically increased among 4-OH-pentaCB exposed mice compared with the control. However, 4-OH-pentaCB exposure had no effect on passive avoidance. These results suggest that an extremely low dose of 4-OH-pentaCB may selectively disrupt neurobehavioral functions involved in ambulation and rearing in mice.