Developmental Neurotoxicity of Acrylamide: Defensive Role of Chick Embryo Glutathione S-transferases

Acrylamide is a well proven neurotoxin and is a major environmental and food contaminant. Generally, birds are highly mobile in all environments and their developing embryo are the first victim of polluted environment caused by industrialization and agriculture system at various stages. However, data is lacking on birds species related to antioxidant defence system. The present study was aimed to analyze the potentiality of developing chick embryo’s brain glutathione S-tranferases (GSTs) to detoxify the toxic chemical agents such as acrylamide (AC). Findings of this study indicate that the high level expression of brain GSTs may detoxify the toxic chemical agents and therefore protect the brain. Excessive accumulation of toxic chemical agents such as AC can finally make injury to brain. Taken together, results of the study showed that as minimum as 6 parts per million of AC can cause cerebellar layers degeneration and vacuolation within 24 hours and 48 hours. Thus a minute quantity of AC is a potent neurotoxin for developing chicken embryos and efforts should be made to prevent such exposures for sufficient productivity of the poultry.