Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl(PCB) on c_fos,c_Myc and β_catenin expressions in rat kidneys. METHODS: 45 Wistar rats were divided into a control and three experimental groups (fed with 0.1 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of PCB) for 90 days. Immunohistochemical assay was performed to study the expressions of c_fos,c_Myc and β_catenin in rat kidney tissues. RESULTS: The expressions of c_fos and c_Myc in renal tubular epithelial cells were negative in control group, the positive ratios of c_fos were 58.33％,100％ and 75.3％, respectively, in the experimental groups, the positive ratio was significantly higher in 0.1 mg/kg group than that in the other groups(P<0.01). The positive ratios of c_Myc were 41.67％, 75％ and 100％, respectively, in the experimental groups. In the 10 mg/kg PCB group, the expression of c_Myc was markedly higher compared with other groups(P<0.01). The positive ratios of β_catenin in the three experimental groups were much higher than that in control group(P<0.01), but were not significantly different among the experimental groups(P>0.01). CONCLUSION: PCB could induce the expressions of c_fos, c_Myc and β_catenin in rat kidney tissues, and caused marked functional injuries of rat kidneys.

Key words: polychlorinated biphenyls, rats kidney, c_fos, c_Myc, β_catenin