9705 Volume 5- Issue 4: 2018 ISSN: 2574-1241 DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2019.13.002343 Soycan Mizrak. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res Research Article Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR) Open Access The Effects of High and Low Dose Nicotine Administration on Neurogenesis Soycan Mizrak* 1 , Mahmud Mustafa Özkut 2 , Sevinç Manisa İnan 3 and Gulinnaz Ercan 4 1 Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Usak Training and Research Hospital, Usak, Turkey 2 Department of Histology and Embryology, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey 3 Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir University of Economics , Izmir, Turkey 4 Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey Received: : December 28, 2018; Published: : January 10, 2019 *Corresponding author: Soycan Mizrak, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Turkey and Gulinnaz Ercan, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey Introduction Tobacco is the most important substance abuse during pregnancy. About 20% of pregnant women smoke during their pregnancy. While pregnant women smoke, the developing fetus is exposed to nicotine, the main psychoactive component of tobacco and tobacco smoke ingredients [1,2]. Various pharmacological doses of nicotine during gestation have been tested and nicotine exposure alone is expected to be less harmful to the fetus than cigarette smoke [3]. Nicotine effects the dopaminergic and cholinergic neurochemical systems and alters the physiological and behavioural situations in the offspring [4]. During the development of the brain, neurotrophins are very important factors for neuronal plasticity proliferation, survival, development, and plasticity of neurons. One of the members of the neurotrophin family is Brain- Derived Neurotrophic Factors (BDNF). BDNF influences GABAergic neuronal phenotype [5]; regulates the efficacy of GABAergic synapses [6]. The other specific protein of neurons is the neuronal specific nuclear protein (NeuN). Monoclonal antibodies to the NeuN protein is important for neuronal differentiation. The normal and pathologic functions of neurons are evaluated by using this marker [7]. The other one of the specific protein is S100 protein. These proteins are called S100 because of their solubility in a 100%-saturated solution with ammonium sulfate at neutral pH [8]. These proteins are produced by astrocytes in the Central Nervous System (CNS). S100 protein’s functions are regulation of proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, Ca2+ homeostasis, energy metabolism and inflammation within cells [9]. In the present study, we investigated the effects of high and low dose nicotine administration on neurogenesis with immunohistochemical methods. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Neuronal Specific Nuclear Protein (NeuN) and S-100 protein were analysed to evaluate the neurons and neuroglial cells in the rat hipocampus. Materials and Methods In this study, approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Ege University School of Medicine (Bornova, Izmir, Turkey), the off springs of Swiss Albino rats were used. They were housed in Abstract Various pharmacological doses of nicotine during gestation have been examined and nicotine exposure alone is expected to be less harmful to the fetus than cigarette smoke. Nicotine affects the neurochemical systems. Neurotrophins are very important factors for neuronal development, and plasticity of neurons. In this study, considering the role of the hippocampus in both memory and learning, we investigated the effects of high and low dose nicotine administration in pre-postnatal periods, on neurogenesis with immunohistochemical methods. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Neuronal Specific Nuclear Protein (NeuN) and S-100 protein were analysed to evaluate the neurons and neuroglial cells in the Swiss Albino rat hippocampus. Immunoreactivity scores were determined by using the semi-quantitative method. The intensity of immunoreactivity was evaluated as mild (+), moderate (++) or strong (+++) and the results were compared via using the ANOVA statistical test. As a result, BDNF, NeuN and S-100 immunoreactivities of neurons in the hippocampus were found to have increased via nicotine administration. These factors can contribute to nicotine’s neuroprotective effects. Nicotine exposure can enrich the reduced number of neurons or interneuron connections which decrease with aging, but more clinical studies are needed in this area to shed light the role of nicotine on neurogenesis.