Influence of cathepsin S deficiency on development of communicating hydrocephalus in mice induced by kaolin / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

ABSTRACT

Objective · To evaluate the influence of cathepsin S(CatS) on the severity of communicating hydrocephalus in a kaolin injected mouse model.Methods · Kaolin suspension was injected to 8 CatS knock-out (CatS -/-) mice and 12 wild type (WT) C57BL/6 mice through cisterna magna to establish communicating hydrocephalus mouse model. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used before and 1 week after kaolin injection to compare lateral ventricular volume. Lateral ventricular index was calculated to analyze the severity of hydrocephalus. Results · One week after kaolin injection,1 in CatS -/- group and 2 in WT group died. The mortality rate was 12.5% each and there was no significant difference (P=1.000). MRI results showed varying degrees of ventriculomegaly in both groups. Lateral ventricular index of CatS -/-group (n=8) and WT group (n=16) before kaolin injection was 0.05±0.01 and 0.04±0.01 respectively (P=0.720). One week after kaolin injection, lateral ventricular index of CatS-/- group (n=7) and WT group (n=14)was 0.13±0.02 and 0.11±0.01 respectively (P=0.950). In each group, in 71.4% of mice, lateral ventricular index enlarged twice or more. Conclusion · One week after kaolin injection into cisterna magna, lateral ventricles enlarges obviously, indicating hydrocephalus occurs, with high success rate. CatS gene deficiency has no significant influence on the development of communicating hydrocephalus.