Review of constructing animal models of depression after myocardial infarction / 中国药理学通报

The incidence of depression after myocardial infarction (DAMI) is high, causing significant harm to the patients' physical and mental health, but the pathogenesis is unknown. Establishing animal models which simulate the pathogenesis of DAMI in humans is an effective way to explore the mechanism of the disease. In this paper, problems existing in the modeling process, such as animal selection, model selection, model preparation and behavioral evaluation, are summarized and considered in order to provide reference for DAMI model research.

Effects of CACNA1H gene knockout on autistic-like behaviors and the morphology of hippocampal neurons in mice / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of CACNA1H gene knockout (KO) on autistic-like behaviors and the morphology of hippocampal neurons in mice.@*METHODS@#In the study, 25 CACNA1H KO mice of 3-4 weeks old and C57BL/6 background were recruited as the experimental group, and 26 wild type (WT) mice of the same age and background were recruited as the control group. Three-chamber test and open field test were used to observe the social interaction, anxiety, and repetitive behaviors in mice. After that, their brain weight and size were measured, and the number of hippocampal neurons were observed by Nissl staining. Furthermore, the CACNA1H heterozygote mice were interbred with Thy1-GFP-O mice to generate CACNA1H-/--Thy1+(KO-GFP) and CACNA1H+/+-Thy1+ (WT-GFP) mice. The density and maturity of dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons were observed.@*RESULTS@#In the sociability test session of the three-chamber test, the KO mice spent more time in the chamber of the stranger mice than in the object one (F1, 14=95.086, P < 0.05; Post-Hoc: P < 0.05), without any significant difference for the explored preference index between the two groups (t=1.044, P>0.05). However, in the social novelty recognition test session, no difference was observed between the time of the KO mice spend in the chamber of new stranger mice and the stranger one (F1, 14=18.062, P < 0.05; Post-Hoc: P>0.05), and the explored preference index of the KO mice was less than that of the control group (t=2.390, P < 0.05). In the open field test, the KO mice spent less time in the center of the open field apparatus than the control group (t=2.503, P < 0.05), but the self-grooming time was significantly increased compared with the control group (t=-2.299, P < 0.05). Morphological results showed that the brain weight/body weight ratio (t=0.356, P>0.05) and brain size (t=-0.660, P>0.05) of the KO mice were not significantly different from those of the control group, but the number of neurons were significantly reduced in hippocampal dentate gyrus compared with the control group (t=2.323, P < 0.05). Moreover, the density of dendritic spine of dentate gyrus neurons in the KO-GFP mice was significantly increased compared with the control group (t=-2.374, P < 0.05), without any significant difference in spine maturity (t=-1.935, P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#CACNA1H KO mice represent autistic-like behavior, which may be related to the decrease in the number of neurons and the increase in the density of dendritic spine in the dentate gyrus.

Effect of aqueous Salvia officinalis extract on Aluminum chloride-induced neurotoxicity in female rats

The neurotoxicity of Aluminum has been discovered in several experiments. It is a neurotoxic element involved inthe etiology of some neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate theneuroprotective effect of Salvia officinalis aqueous leaf extract (SAE) on the behavioral, histological, andbiochemical alterations caused by Aluminum chloride in female Wistar rats. Chronic aluminum chloride (AlCl3)exposure developed behavioral deficits by decreasing locomotor activity and caused a significant reduction ofspontaneous alternation. Besides, AlCl3 exposure showed a significant decrease in Acetylcholinesterase activity(-54.49%), Catalase activity (-42.48%), and a significant increase in the mean concentration of Malondialdehyde(MDA) compared to control group. Histological alterations were observed in the brain of aluminum chlorideexposed group, which explains the neurodegenerative effect of aluminum on rat brain histology. SAE treatmentimproved behavioral and histological changes in AlCl3-induced rats, attenuated biochemical alteration byrecording an increase in Acetylcholinesterase activity at 73.68% and enhanced catalase activity by 62.7%, aswell as a decrease in the MDA level of -86.81% compared to the AlCl3 group. The current study demonstratesthat Salvia officinalis can be administered as a food additive to protect against the neurotoxicity of AlCl3 and toameliorate behavioral and oxidative status.

Effects of Tianeptine on Adult Rats Following Prenatal Stress

OBJECTIVE: Exposing a pregnant female to stress during the critical period of embryonic fetal brain development increases the risk of psychiatric disorders in the offspring. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of antidepressant tianeptine on prenatally stressed (PNS) rats. METHODS: In this study, a repeated variable stress paradigm was applied to pregnant rats during the last week of gestation. To investigate the effects of antidepressant tianeptine on PNS rats, behavioral and protein expression analyses were performed. Forced swim test, open field test, and social interaction test were performed to determine changes in PNS rats compared to non-stressed offspring. Haloperidol was used as a positive control as an antipsychotic drug based on previous studies. RESULTS: Behavioral changes were restored after treatment with tianeptine or haloperidol. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of the prefrontal cortex revealed downregulation of several neurodevelopmental proteins in PNS rats. After treatment with tianeptine or haloperidol, their expression levels were increased. CONCLUSION: Downregulation of several proteins in PNS rats might have caused subsequent behavioral changes in PNS rats. After tianeptine or haloperidol treatment, behavioral changes in PNS rats were restored. Therefore, tianeptine might decrease incidence of prenatal stress related-psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.

Analysis on Effect and Mechanism of Bu-Yang Huan-Wu Decoction of Alzheimer's Disease Mice / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of Bu-Yang Huan-Wu (BYHW) decoction to the learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 double transgenic mice through two behavior tests,in order to observe the Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment effect of BYHW decoction.A total of 60 APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were randomly divided into five groups,which were the model group,the hydrochloride group,the high-,middle-,and low-dose BYHW decoction group,with ten rats in each group.The C57BL/6J mice were used as the control group.After 30 days of drug administration,all mice were subjected to behavior tests,including new object recognition experiment and step-through task.Western blot was used to detect changes of inflammatory factors,including IL-6 and TNF-α,in hippocampus of mice.The results showed that compared with the model group,the high-and middle-dose BYHW decoction can significantly decrease inflammatory factors of IL-6 and TNF-α expression in hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice.It can also obviously improve the learning and memory ability of APP/PS1 mice.It was concluded that BYHW decoction can significantly decrease the inflammatory factor expression in APP/PS 1 double transgenic AD model mice.It can obviously improve its learning and memory ability,which can be used in the treatment of AD.

Participation of IL-1β in temporomandibular nociception in rats with CFA-induced inflammation

The aim of the present study was to develop an animal model for evaluation of temporomandibular (TMJ) nociception under TMJ inflammation. We also investigated the participation of IL-1β in inflammation-induced TMJ nociception. Experiments were carried out using male Sprague-Dawley rats. Intra-articular injection of 3% formalin was administered to evaluate hyperalgesia 3 days after CFA injection. Intra-articular injection of 3% formalin did not produce nociceptive behavior in normal rats. Although intra-articular injection of 3 doses of CFA produced TMJ inflammation, only 1:3 diluted CFA produced hyperalgesia when formalin was injected intra-articularly 3 days after CFA injection. Co-administration of IL-1 receptor inhibitor with formalin into the TMJ cavity 3 days after CFA injection was performed. Co-administration of IL-1 receptor inhibitor significantly inhibited formalin-induced hyperalgesia in rats with CFA-induced TMJ inflammation. These results suggested that intra-articular injection of formalin produced hyperalgesia under chronic TMJ inflammation. Moreover, IL-1β plays an important role in TMJ hyperalgesia under chronic inflammation and blockade of IL-1β is a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory TMJ pain.

Measuring the Behavioral Parameters of Mouse Following Unilateral Labyrinthectomy in Round Free Field Using an Infrared Lamp and a Simple Webcam Camera / 대한평형의학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In this research, movements of mouse after labyrinthectomy were analyzed to determine the degree of vestibular dysfunction and compensation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using an infrared lamp, mouse movements were recorded for 100 seconds in a dark room. The experimental area was manufactured as a circular space with a diameter of 60 cm. The movements of five mice labyrinthectomized on right side were observed and recorded at 3 hours, 9 hours and 120 hours after the operation, and also the ten mice of control group. RESULTS: The differences between the total moving distances and the rotating angle from the origin that set the center of round field between groups were analyzed with pictures of 1 frame per second. It is concluded that all 4 groups show significant differences between its mean rotation angle and total moving distances statistically. At 9 hours after right labyrinthectomy, mice tended to turn clockwise; but at 120 hours, there was no significant difference between clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation. CONCLUSION: Measuring the movement of mouse in round free field can be the proper method to determine the degree of vestibular dysfunction and vestibular compensation. This test was time-saving and cost-effective method.

Neuroprotective Effects of different doses of BPI-1095 in Focal Cerebral Ischemia Rats / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo investigate the neuroprotective effects of different doses of BPI-1095 on infarct volume and neurological outcome in middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) rats.MethodsCerebral ischemia model was induced with MCAO in adult male SD rats. 10 minutes after surgery, rats were randomly subjected into six groups with 15 rats in each group. Each rat has been given different dosage tested medication and was sacrificed 24 h after treatment. Neurological functional behaviour tests were performed 4 h and 24 h after treatment. After the final behaviour test, 7 or 8 rats (remain 5 rats for brain tissue stain) were randomly picked up from each group. Their infarction volume was measured with image analysis system after 2% triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) stain. ResultsHigh dose (240 mg/kg) and moderate dose (80 mg/kg) of BPI-1095 were able to improve the neurological deficit in MCAO rats (P<0.05, vs vehicle-treated group), as well as they decrease the infracted volume (P<0.05, vs the vehicle-treated group ) 24 h after ischemia.Conclusion80～240 mg/kg BPI-1095 is able to improve neurological deficit effectively and reduce infarct volume significantly.