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Knott TS, Whyte AJ, Dhawan SS, Tait DS, Brown VJ. "Blocking-like" effects in attentional set-shifting: Redundant cues facilitate shifting in male rats with medial prefrontal cortex inactivation. Neuroscience 2024; 555:134-144. [PMID: 39059743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Without a functioning prefrontal cortex, humans and other animals are impaired in measures of cognitive control and behavioral flexibility, including attentional set-shifting. However, the reason for this is unclear with evidence suggesting both impaired and enhanced attentional shifting. We inhibited the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats while they performed a modified version of an attentional set-shifting task to explore the nature of this apparent contradiction. Twelve adult male Lister hooded rats received AAV5-CaMKIIa-hM4D(Gi)-mCherry viral vector bilaterally into mPFC to express inhibitory 'Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs' (iDREADDs). The receptors were activated by systemic clozapine N-oxide (CNO) to inhibit mPFC function. The rats were tested in the standard attentional set-shifting task four times: twice after i.p. administration and twice after oral administration of vehicle or CNO (10 mg/kg). They were then tested twice in a modified task, with or without oral CNO. The modified task had an extra stage before the extradimensional shift, in which the relevant exemplars remained relevant and new exemplars that were fully predictive but redundant replaced the previous irrelevant exemplars. These exemplars then became relevant at the subsequent ED stage. In the standard task, mPFC inactivation impaired attentional set-shifting, consistent with previous findings. However, in the modified task, mPFC inactivation abolished ED shift-costs. The results support the suggestion that the mPFC is needed for the downregulation of attention that prevents learning about redundant and irrelevant stimuli. With mPFC inactivated, the rat learns more rapidly when previously redundant exemplars become the only relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tegan S Knott
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Alonzo J Whyte
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Sandeep S Dhawan
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK
| | - David S Tait
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK.
| | - Verity J Brown
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews KY16 9JP, UK.
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Vanhecke D, Bugada V, Steiner R, Polić B, Buch T. Refined tamoxifen administration in mice by encouraging voluntary consumption of palatable formulations. Lab Anim (NY) 2024; 53:205-214. [PMID: 39080504 PMCID: PMC11291282 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01409-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Drug administration in preclinical rodent models is essential for research and the development of novel therapies. Compassionate administration methods have been developed, but these are mostly incompatible with water-insoluble drugs such as tamoxifen or do not allow for precise timing or dosing of the drugs. For more than two decades, tamoxifen has been administered by oral gavage or injection to CreERT2-loxP gene-modified mouse models to spatiotemporally control gene expression, with the numbers of such inducible models steadily increasing in recent years. Animal-friendly procedures for accurately administering tamoxifen or other water-insoluble drugs would, therefore, have an important impact on animal welfare. On the basis of a previously published micropipette feeding protocol, we developed palatable formulations to encourage voluntary consumption of tamoxifen. We evaluated the acceptance of the new formulations by mice during training and treatment and assessed the efficacy of tamoxifen-mediated induction of CreERT2-loxP-dependent reporter genes. Both sweetened milk and syrup-based formulations encouraged mice to consume tamoxifen voluntarily, but only sweetened milk formulations were statistically noninferior to oral gavage or intraperitoneal injections in inducing CreERT2-mediated gene expression. Serum concentrations of tamoxifen metabolites, quantified using an in-house-developed cell assay, confirmed the lower efficacy of syrup- as compared to sweetened milk-based formulations. We found dosing with a micropipette to be more accurate than oral gavage or injection, with the added advantage that the method requires little training for the experimenter. The new palatable solutions encourage voluntary consumption of tamoxifen without loss of efficacy compared to oral gavage or injections and thus represent a refined administration method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Vanhecke
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Viola Bugada
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Regula Steiner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bojan Polić
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Thorsten Buch
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Attema B, Kummu O, Pitkänen S, Weisell J, Vuorio T, Pennanen E, Vorimo M, Rysä J, Kersten S, Levonen AL, Hakkola J. Metabolic effects of nuclear receptor activation in vivo after 28-day oral exposure to three endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:911-928. [PMID: 38182912 PMCID: PMC10861694 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03658-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can lead to metabolic disruption, resulting in metabolic complications including adiposity, dyslipidemia, hepatic lipid accumulation, and glucose intolerance. Hepatic nuclear receptor activation is one of the mechanisms mediating metabolic effects of EDCs. Here, we investigated the potential to use a repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity test for identification of EDCs with metabolic endpoints. Bisphenol A (BPA), pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile (PCN), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were used as reference compounds. Male and female wild-type C57BL/6 mice were orally exposed to 5, 50, and 500 μg/kg of BPA, 1000, 10 000, and 100 000 µg/kg of PCN and 50 and 300 μg/kg of PFOA for 28 days next to normal chow diet. Primary endpoints were glucose tolerance, hepatic lipid accumulation, and plasma lipids. After 28-day exposure, no changes in body weight and glucose tolerance were observed in BPA-, PCN-, or PFOA-treated males or females. PCN and PFOA at the highest dose in both sexes and BPA at the middle and high dose in males increased relative liver weight. PFOA reduced plasma triglycerides in males and females, and increased hepatic triglyceride content in males. PCN and PFOA induced hepatic expression of typical pregnane X receptor (PXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α target genes, respectively. Exposure to BPA resulted in limited gene expression changes. In conclusion, the observed changes on metabolic health parameters were modest, suggesting that a standard repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity test is not a sensitive method for the detection of the metabolic effect of EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brecht Attema
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Outi Kummu
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Sini Pitkänen
- A.I. Virtanen-Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jonna Weisell
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Taina Vuorio
- A.I. Virtanen-Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Erika Pennanen
- A.I. Virtanen-Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Maria Vorimo
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jaana Rysä
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sander Kersten
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Genomics Group, Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna-Liisa Levonen
- A.I. Virtanen-Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jukka Hakkola
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, Medical Research Center Oulu, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
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Boualam K, Ibork H, Lahboub Z, Sobeh M, Taghzouti K. Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds. and Salvia officinalis L. hydrosols mitigate aging related comorbidities in rats. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1365086. [PMID: 38464467 PMCID: PMC10920217 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1365086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Aging is often linked to oxidative stress, where the body experiences increased damage from free radicals. Plants are rich sources of antioxidants, playing a role in slowing down aging and supporting the proper functioning and longevity of cells. Our study focuses on exploring the impact of Mentha rotundifolia (MR) and Salvia officinalis (SO) hydrosols on aging-related comorbidities. Methods The chemical composition of MR and SO hydrosols was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. 2,2-Diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,20-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radicals scavenging assays were used to assess their in vitro antioxidant activity, and heat induced albumin denaturation test was used to evaluate their anti-inflammatory activity. Subsequently, we administered 5% of each plant hydrosol in the drinking water of 18-month-old rats for six months. We then conducted behavioral tests, including open field, dark/light box, rotarod, and Y-maze assessments, and measured biochemical parameters in plasma, liver and brain tissues. Results and discussion At two years old, animals treated with MR and SO hydrosols displayed fewer physical and behavioral impairments, along with well-preserved redox homeostasis in comparison with animals in the control group. These results highlighted the significance of MR and SO hydrosols in addressing various aspects of age-related comorbidities. The study suggests that these plant-derived hydrosols may have potential applications in promoting healthy aging and mitigating associated health challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadija Boualam
- AgroBioSciences Program, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben-Guerir, Morocco
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hind Ibork
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Zakaria Lahboub
- Plant Chemistry and Organic and Bioorganic Synthesis Team, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mansour Sobeh
- AgroBioSciences Program, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Ben-Guerir, Morocco
| | - Khalid Taghzouti
- Physiology and Physiopathology Team, Genomics of Human Pathologies Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
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Ruvira S, Rodríguez-Rodríguez P, Cañas S, Ramiro-Cortijo D, Aguilera Y, Muñoz-Valverde D, Arribas SM. Evaluation of Parameters Which Influence Voluntary Ingestion of Supplements in Rats. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1827. [PMID: 37889721 PMCID: PMC10251944 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug safety and efficacy studies frequently use oral gavage, but repetitive usage may cause problems. Administration through voluntary ingestion represents an opportunity for refinement. We aimed to develop a protocol for voluntary ingestion of gelatin-based supplements in rats, assessing the influence of age, sex, fasting (4 h), and additives (vanilla, VF; sucralose, S), and to test it in lactating dams. Three-week-old and 5-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were placed individually in an empty cage containing a gelatin cube and trained daily (5 days/week), recording the day the whole cube was consumed (latency). Rats trained prior to gestation were offered a gelatin containing 250 mg/kg cocoa shell extract (CSE) during lactation. Rats that did not eat the cube after 8 training days were considered non-habituated, with a proportion similar in young males (7.1%), young females (11.1%), and adult females (10.3%), but significantly higher in adult males (39.3%). Excluding non-habituated rats, latency was 2-3 days, without differences between young and adult rats (p = 0.657) or between males and females (p = 0.189). VF or VF + S in the gelatin did not modify latency, while fasting significantly reduced it in females (p = 0.007) but not in males (p = 0.501). During lactation, trained females ate the CSE-gelatin within 1-5 min without litter problems. Conclusions: Acceptance of a gelatin-based supplement is negatively influenced by male sex, facilitated by fasting, and not modified by additives. Training is remembered after 2 months and does not interfere with lactation. Gelatin-based voluntary ingestion is suitable to administer drugs that need to pass through the digestive system, ensuring adequate dosage, and is important to detect non-habituated rats prior to the study. The current protocol may be implemented by training the rats in their own cage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Ruvira
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Cañas
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM-CSIC), C/Nicolás Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ramiro-Cortijo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Aguilera
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM-CSIC), C/Nicolás Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Muñoz-Valverde
- Animal House Facility, Veterinary Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia M Arribas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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Diez-Quijada L, Casas-Rodriguez A, Guzmán-Guillén R, Molina-Hernández V, Albaladejo RG, Cameán AM, Jos A. Immunomodulatory Effects of Pure Cylindrospermopsin in Rats Orally Exposed for 28 Days. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:144. [PMID: 35202170 PMCID: PMC8877299 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a ubiquitous cyanotoxin showing increasing incidence worldwide. CYN has been classified as a cytotoxin and, among its toxic effects, its immunotoxicity is scarcely studied. This work investigates for the first time the influence of oral CYN exposure (18.75; 37.5 and 75 µg/kg b.w./day, for 28 days) on the mRNA expression of selected interleukin (IL) genes (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), Interferon gamma (IFN-γ)) in the thymus and the spleen of male and female rats, by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, their serum levels were also measured by a multiplex-bead-based immunoassay, and a histopathological study was performed. CYN produced immunomodulation mainly in the thymus of rats exposed to 75 μg CYN/kg b.w./day in both sexes. However, in the spleen only IL-1β and IL-2 (males), and TNF-α and IFN-γ (females) expression was modified after CYN exposure. Only female rats exposed to 18.75 μg CYN/kg b.w./day showed a significant decrease in TNF-α serum levels. There were no significant differences in the weight or histopathology in the organs studied. Further research is needed to obtain a deeper view of the molecular mechanisms involved in CYN immunotoxicity and its consequences on long-term exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Diez-Quijada
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (L.D.-Q.); (A.C.-R.); (A.M.C.); (A.J.)
| | - Antonio Casas-Rodriguez
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (L.D.-Q.); (A.C.-R.); (A.M.C.); (A.J.)
| | - Remedios Guzmán-Guillén
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (L.D.-Q.); (A.C.-R.); (A.M.C.); (A.J.)
| | - Verónica Molina-Hernández
- Department of Anatomy and Comparative Pathology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain;
| | - Rafael G. Albaladejo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain;
| | - Ana María Cameán
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (L.D.-Q.); (A.C.-R.); (A.M.C.); (A.J.)
| | - Angeles Jos
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain; (L.D.-Q.); (A.C.-R.); (A.M.C.); (A.J.)
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Martins T, Matos AF, Soares J, Leite R, Pires MJ, Ferreira T, Medeiros-Fonseca B, Rosa E, Oliveira PA, Antunes LM. Comparison of Gelatin Flavors for Oral Dosing of C57BL/6J and FVB/N Mice. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR LABORATORY ANIMAL SCIENCE : JAALAS 2022; 61:89-95. [PMID: 34847984 PMCID: PMC8786383 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-jaalas-21-000045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Precise oral dosing in rodents is usually achieved by intragastric gavage. If performed incorrectly due to technical difficulties, inexperience, or animal resistance, oral gavage may have animal welfare implications such as esophageal and gastric rupture and aspiration. The stress that is induced by this procedure can also lead to confounding results. In several animal models, drug vehicles must be sugar-free, deliver drugs in a specific formulation, and sometimes supply water. Gelatin has all of these properties. The current study aimed to evaluate the use of gelatin vehicles with different sensory features as an alternative to oral gavage. We investigated the time taken by 2 different inbred mouse strains, FVB/N and C57BL/6J, to ingest sugar-free gelatin pellets of varying flavors. Results showed that FVB/N mice took more time to eat the unflavored, strawberry and diet-flavored gelatin pellets than did C57BL/6J mice. Both strains showed low preference for lemon flavor, with the same ingestion times after the second day. This study showed that the C57BL/6J mice are more likely to eat gelatin than are FVB/N mice, and that the 2 strains of mice show a lower preference for lemon flavoring as compared with other flavors. This method of voluntarily oral administration offers an alternative to gavage for studies that use oral dosing studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tânia Martins
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Ana F Matos
- Department of Biology and Environment, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Joana Soares
- Department of Biology and Environment, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Rúben Leite
- Department of Biology and Environment, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Maria J Pires
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Tiago Ferreira
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Medeiros-Fonseca
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Rosa
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Paula A Oliveira
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Luís M Antunes
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal
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8
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de Almeida ERM, Martinelli ECL, Pereira EC, Raspantini LER, Hueza IM. Alternative method for oral administration of insoluble toxins to rats. A prenatal study of L-mimosine. Toxicon 2021; 202:82-89. [PMID: 34582830 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
L-mimosine is a compound found in Leucaena leucocephala, that is used as animal feed due to its high protein content, but it can also cause intoxication. Due to its low solubility in organic and aqueous solvents, its administration in laboratory animals is difficult, especially in delicate periods such as pregnancy. Thus, to circumvent such problems, this study proposes a stress-free form of oral administration with gelatin tablets with flavoring (meat broth) for 14 consecutive days of the gestational period (GD06 to GD20). For that, 17 pregnant Wistar rats divided into 3 groups were used: control (CO; n = 5) not treated; gelatin (GEL; n = 6), which received a gelatin tablet with flavoring; and gelatin with flavoring added 140 mg/kg of L-mimosine (GM; n = 6). All animals received feed and water ad libitum. The parameters analyzed were body weight gain, water and feed consumption, serum biochemistry, blood count and reproductive indices. Among these, only the real and total weight gains of dams showed statistically significant differences, with a decrease in the group GM. Thus, we could observe that flavored gelatin was an efficient and effective administration method to insoluble compounds and long-term administration to pregnant rats, with quick adaptation and without refusal by the animals. In addition, we could observe a direct effect of L-mimosine on the animals' weight gain; however, the dose administered was not sufficient to confer maternal and fetal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine R M de Almeida
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil
| | - Elaine C L Martinelli
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil
| | - Edimar C Pereira
- Institute of Environmental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo (ICAQF-UNIFESP), Diadema, S.P., Brazil
| | - Leonila E R Raspantini
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil
| | - Isis M Hueza
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil; Institute of Environmental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo (ICAQF-UNIFESP), Diadema, S.P., Brazil.
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9
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Evaluation of toxic effects induced by repeated exposure to Cylindrospermopsin in rats using a 28-day feeding study. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 151:112108. [PMID: 33741479 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a toxin with a world-wide increasing occurrence. It can induce toxic effects both in humans and the environment, and toxicity studies are needed to complete its toxicological profile. In this sense, in vivo oral toxicity studies with pure CYN are scarce. The aim of this work was to perform a repeated dose 28-day oral study in rats following the OECD guideline 407 to provide information on health hazard likely to arise from this kind of exposure. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with 18.75, 37.5 and 75 μg CYN/kg b.w./day. After the study period, no clinical signs or mortality and no significant differences in final body weight, body weight gain and total feed intake in both sexes were observed. Only in females some biochemical parameters (triglycerides (TRIG) levels and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity) as well as changes in the weight of organs (absolute liver weight values, relative kidney/body weight ratios or relative liver weight/brain weight ratios) were altered, but without toxicological relevance. Histopathological analysis revealed a very mild affectation of liver and kidney in rats. These results suggest the need to perform longer oral toxicity studies to define the potential consequences of long term CYN exposure.
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PiDose: an open-source system for accurate and automated oral drug administration to group-housed mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11584. [PMID: 32665577 PMCID: PMC7360602 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68477-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug treatment studies in laboratory mice typically employ manual administration methods such as injection or gavage, which can be time-consuming to perform over long periods and cause substantial stress in animals. These stress responses may mask or enhance treatment effects, increasing the risk of false positive or negative results and decreasing reliability. To address the lack of an automated method for drug treatment in group-housed mice, we have developed PiDose, a home-cage attached device that weighs individual animals and administers a daily dosage of drug solution based on each animal’s bodyweight through their drinking water. Group housed mice are identified through the use of RFID tagging and receive both regular water and drug solution drops by licking at a spout within the PiDose module. This system allows animals to be treated over long periods (weeks to months) in a fully automated fashion, with high accuracy and minimal experimenter interaction. PiDose is low-cost and fully open-source and should prove useful for researchers in both translational and basic research.
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