ABSTRACT
Aim With SD rats as control, to observe the anxiety susceptibility of FH/Wjd rats. Methods The anxiety behavior of 3-month-old SD rats and age-matched FH/Wjd rats were evaluated by elevated plus-maze test and open field test. The contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite from the cortex were detected by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, and the metabolic ratios of DA and 5-HT were calculated. The activities of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase (MAO), the contents of corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay in cortex. The expression of COMT was detected by polymerase chain reaction. The expression of all genes hippocampus was detected by mRNA-seq. Results As compared with SD rats, in FH/Wjd rats, the closed arms' distance and the total distance were significandy higher in elevated plus-maze; the central distance was significantly shorter, and the total distance was significantly longer in open field. The contents of DA,5-HT and DOPAC in cortex were significantly lower, and there was no significant difference in HVA and 5-HIAA. The ratio of HVA/DA and 5-HIAA/5-HT, the activity of COMT and MAO, the level of CORT and ACTH, the mRNA expression of COMTwere all higher. The differential genes of FH/Wjd rats and SD rats were mainly enriched in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. Conclusions Compared with SD rats, FH/Wjd rats have lower DA and 5-HT contents, hypermetabolism, hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, abnormal expression of COMT and gene encoding neuropsychiatric system. Therefore, FH/Wjd rats have obvious anxiety characteristics.