The effect of valproic acid on behavior and senile plaques in the male and female APP/PS1 double transgenic mouse model / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate whether valproic acid (VPA) affect spatial learning memory and senile plaques in the APP/PS1 double transgenic AD mouse model of different gender. MethodsTwenty 3-month old APP/PS1 double transgenic AD mice,male and female mouse evenly,were randomly divided into VPA-treated and saline-treated groups ( 10 for each group). 30 mg· kg-1 · d-1 of VPA and the same amount of saline were peritoneally injected into mice for 4 weeks. Morris water maze was conducted to check the effect of VPA on the capability of spatial learning and memory of AD mouse model. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the effect of VPA on the morphological changes in the brains of mice. ResultsVisible platform test showed that VPA-treated and saline-treated mice had similar escape latency (P＞0.05) and path length (P＞0.05) ,the swimming speed between male and female mice had no difference (P＞0.05). Hidden platform test showed that VPA treated mice had a significantly shorter latency (P＜0.01) and path length (P＜0.01) to reach the platform compared with saline-treated mice. Meanwhile, both in VPA-treated and control groups, the male mice had a shorter correlation escape latency and path-length than female mice had(P＜0.05 ). Immuohistochemical staining showed that the number (11.23±3.78) of senile plaques (SP) in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of VPA-treated male mice were notably decreased than that(28.17 ±3.46) in the control group ( t= 14.67, P＜0.01 ),furthermore,the number of SP in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of VPA-treated male mice was significantly reduced,as compared with which (20.36 ±4.21)in the VPA-treated female mice(P＜0.05). ConclusionVPA can significantly lower formation of SP, and remarkably improve the capability of spatial learning and memory of APP/PS1 transgenic mice,which have gender difference.