PMC

Behavioral effects of maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy on mice offspring in open field test (A,B) and tail suspension experiment (C). * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

mRNA level changes of apoptosis-related genes in cerebral cortex of mice offspring after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. (A) Caspase-3; (B) Caspase-8; (C) Caspase-9; (D) Bcl-2; (E) Bax; (F) ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Morphological changes of cerebral cortex in mice offspring after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy (Nissl staining). (A–D) mice offspring on postnatal day 1 after birth; (E–H) mice offspring on postnatal day 21 after birth. (A,E) mock-treated group; (B,F) low-dosage group; (C,G) medium-dosage group; (D,H) high-dosage group. Bar = 20 μm.

Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-8, Cleaved Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax and Bcl-2/Bax) and PCNA in cerebral cortex of mice offspring on postnatal day 21 after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. Left: the results of western blot; Right: histogram of relative protein levels. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-8, Cleaved Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax and Bcl-2/Bax) and PCNA in cerebral cortex of mice offspring on postnatal day 14 after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. Left: the results of western blot; Right: histogram of relative protein levels. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-8, Cleaved Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax and Bcl-2/Bax) and PCNA in cerebral cortex of mice offspring on postnatal day 30 after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. Left: the results of western blot; Right: histogram of relative protein levels. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Ultrastructural changes of cerebral cortex neurons and synapses in mice offspring after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. (A) mock-treated group, normal neuron; (B) low-dosage group, no significant changes in the neuron; (C) The arrow shows the indistinct nuclear membrane; (D) the arrow shows the autophagic body; (E,F) the arrow shows the synapse. Bar = 1.0 μm.

Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-8, Cleaved Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax, and Bcl-2/Bax) and PCNA in cerebral cortex of mice offspring on postnatal day 7 after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. Left: the results of Western blot; Right: histogram of relative protein levels. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Apoptosis of cerebral cortex neurons in mice offspring after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. (A) TUNEL of mice offspring on postnatal day 14 from mock-treated group; TUNEL, Hochest and merged figures were derived from the area marked by the white box; (B) TUNEL of mice offspring on postnatal day 14 from high-dosage group; TUNEL, Hochest and merged figures were derived from the area marked by the white box; (C) the apoptotic ratio of nerve cells. Bar = 20 μm. ** p < 0.01, compared with control.

Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-3, Cleaved Caspase-8, Cleaved Caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax, and Bcl-2/Bax) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in cerebral cortex of mice offspring on postnatal day 1 after maternal exposure to PM_2.5 during pregnancy. Left: the results of Western blot; Right: histogram of relative protein levels. * p < 0.05, compared with control; ** p < 0.01, compared with control.