Turkish Neurosurgery 2012 , Vol 22 , Num 1
The Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particles on Neural Tube Development in the Early Stage Chicken Embryo
Hakan SIMSEK1, Ahmet COLAK2, Serdar KAYA3, Murat KUTLAY3, Ahmet CETINKAL1, Aptullah HAHOLU4, Mehmet N DEMIRCAN2
1Kasimpasa Military Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
2Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
3Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Medical Faculty Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey
4Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Department of Pathology, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.4965-11.1 AIM: Particulate matter is an important air-pollutant and its toxicity has been reported. Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) constitute a large portion of particulate matter. Therefore, we established our study to investigate the effects of DEP on neural tissue in early stage chicken embryos.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Four study groups and one control group, each of which included 24 objects were designed. Eggs were incubated for 30 hours. Solutions of DEP containing 10, 50, 100, and 200 μg/0.1 ml were prepared with serum saline. At the end of thirty hours diesel exhaust particle solutions were administered under the embryonic discs. After 72nd hour of the incubation, embryos were excised and evaluated macroscopically and histopathologically.

RESULTS: The difference between the embryos that were defined as poorly and well developed, was found statistically significant (p<0.05). Neural tube defects were detected in 16 of 104 embryos. Statistically significant association between the administration of DEP and development of neural tube defect was identified (p=0.037).

CONCLUSION: Thus, the direct neurotoxic effects of DEP, which the whole population encounters inevitably, have been shown in the early stages of embryonic development. Further studies are needed to identify the effects of these particles in the later stages of embryonic development. Keywords : Diesel exhaust particles, Embryo, Neural tube defect, Neurotoxicity, Particulate matter

Corresponding author : Hakan Sımsek, drhakansimsek@hotmail.com