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Badae NM, Abdelmonsif DA, Aly RG, Omar AM, Shoela MS, Omar EM. Effect of spermidine on long non-coding RNAs MALAT1 in a rotenone induced-rat model of Parkinson's disease. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2024; 38:718-729. [PMID: 38279557 DOI: 10.1111/fcp.12986] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spermidine is a natural biologically active substance that has widespread influences on the body. OBJECTIVE This study aims to enhance our understanding of the potential effect of spermidine on long non-coding RNA MALAT1 and explore the underlying mechanism in the rotenone-induced rat model of Parkinson's disease. METHODS Rats were sacrificed after locomotor behavioral testing. Striatal tissues were used to assess the expression of MALAT1, oxidative stress markers, and autophagy markers. RESULTS Our study found that treatment with spermidine for 2 weeks during the induction of the model significantly improved behavioral assessment, dopamine levels, and attenuated the histopathological changes that occurred in PD in comparison to the non-treated group. CONCLUSION Our preliminary study supports the protective effect of spermidine on the activation of autophagy and its antioxidant properties. Part of the antioxidant activity is due to the inhibition of MALAT1. However, MALAT1 does not correlate with the spermidine-induced autophagy pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha Mohamed Badae
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Doaa A Abdelmonsif
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Rania Gaber Aly
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amira M Omar
- Department of Histology & Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mai S Shoela
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Eman M Omar
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Ratz-Wirsching V, Habermeyer J, Moceri S, Harrer J, Schmitz C, von Hörsten S. Gene-dosage- and sex-dependent differences in the prodromal-Like phase of the F344tgHD rat model for Huntington disease. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1354977. [PMID: 38384482 PMCID: PMC10879377 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1354977] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In Huntington disease (HD) the prodromal phase has been increasingly investigated and is currently in focus for early interventional treatments. Also, the influence of sex on disease progression and severity in patients is under discussion, as a sex-specific impact has been reported in transgenic rodent models for HD. To this end, we have been studying these aspects in Sprague Dawley rats transgenic for HD. Here, we took up on the congenic F344tgHD rat model, expressing a fragmented Htt construct with 51 CAG repeats on an inbred F344 rat background and characterized potential sexual dimorphism and gene-dosage effects in rats during the pre-symptomatic phase (1-8 months of age). Our study comprises a longitudinal phenotyping of motor function, emotion and sensorimotor gating, as well as screening of metabolic parameters with classical and automated assays in combination with investigation of molecular HD hallmarks (striatal cell number and volume estimation, appearance of HTT aggregates). Differences between sexes became apparent during middle age, particularly in the motor and sensorimotor domains. Female individuals were generally more active, demonstrated different gait characteristics than males and less anxiolytic-like behavior. Alterations in both the time course and affected behavioral domains varied between male and female F344tgHD rats. First subtle behavioral anomalies were detected in transgenic F344tgHD rats prior to striatal MSN cell loss, revealing a prodromal-like phase in this model. Our findings demonstrate that the congenic F344tgHD rat model shows high face-validity, closely resembling the human disease's temporal progression, while having a relatively low number of CAG repeats, a slowly progressing pathology with a prodromal-like phase and a comparatively subtle phenotype. By differentiating the sexes regarding HD-related changes and characterizing the prodromal-like phase in this model, these findings provide a foundation for future treatment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Ratz-Wirsching
- Department of Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Preclinical Experimental Center, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johanna Habermeyer
- Department of Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Preclinical Experimental Center, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sandra Moceri
- Department of Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Harrer
- Department of Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christoph Schmitz
- Chair of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stephan von Hörsten
- Department of Experimental Therapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Preclinical Experimental Center, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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Nittari G, Roy P, Martinelli I, Bellitto V, Tomassoni D, Traini E, Tayebati SK, Amenta F. Rodent Models of Huntington's Disease: An Overview. Biomedicines 2023; 11:3331. [PMID: 38137552 PMCID: PMC10741199 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurological disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the IT15 gene. This neurodegenerative disorder is caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion mutation in the widely expressed huntingtin (HTT) protein. HD is characterized by the degeneration of basal ganglia neurons and progressive cell death in intrinsic neurons of the striatum, accompanied by dementia and involuntary abnormal choreiform movements. Animal models have been extensively studied and have proven to be extremely valuable for therapeutic target evaluations. They reveal the hallmark of the age-dependent formation of aggregates or inclusions consisting of misfolded proteins. Animal models of HD have provided a therapeutic strategy to treat HD by suppressing mutant HTT (mHTT). Transgenic animal models have significantly increased our understanding of the molecular processes and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the HD behavioral phenotype. Since effective therapies to cure or interrupt the course of the disease are not yet available, clinical research will have to make use of reliable animal models. This paper reviews the main studies of rodents as HD animal models, highlighting the neurological and behavioral differences between them. The choice of an animal model depends on the specific aspect of the disease to be investigated. Toxin-based models can still be useful, but most experimental hypotheses depend on success in a genetic model, whose choice is determined by the experimental question. There are many animal models showing similar HD symptoms or pathologies. They include chemical-induced HDs and genetic HDs, where cell-free and cell culture, lower organisms (such as yeast, Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish), rodents (mice, rats), and non-human primates are involved. These models provide accessible systems to study molecular pathogenesis and test potential treatments. For developing more effective pharmacological treatments, better animal models must be available and used to evaluate the efficacy of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Nittari
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Proshanta Roy
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Ilenia Martinelli
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Vincenzo Bellitto
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Daniele Tomassoni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy;
| | - Enea Traini
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Seyed Khosrow Tayebati
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
| | - Francesco Amenta
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Madonna Delle Carceri, 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (G.N.); (P.R.); (I.M.); (V.B.); (E.T.); (S.K.T.)
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Rayilla RSR, Naidu M, Babu PP. Surgically Induced Demyelination in Rat Sciatic Nerve. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13050754. [PMID: 37239226 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13050754] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Demyelination is a common sign of peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) caused by damage to the myelin sheath surrounding axons in the sciatic nerve. There are not many methods to induce demyelination in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) using animal models. This study describes a surgical approach using a single partial sciatic nerve suture to induce demyelination in young male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. After the post-sciatic nerve injury (p-SNI) to the sciatic nerve, histology and immunostaining show demyelination or myelin loss in early to severe phases with no self-recovery. The rotarod test confirms the loss of motor function in nerve-damaged rats. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) imaging of nerve-damaged rats reveals axonal atrophy and inter-axonal gaps. Further, administration of Teriflunomide (TF) to p-SNI rats resulted in the restoration of motor function, repair of axonal atrophies with inter-axonal spaces, and myelin secretion or remyelination. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a surgical procedure that can induce demyelination in the rat sciatic nerve, which is then remyelinated after TF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Shankar Rao Rayilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, India
| | - Mur Naidu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad 500082, India
| | - Phanithi Prakash Babu
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046, India
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5
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Ali DE, Bassam SM, Elatrebi S, Habiba ES, Allam EA, Omar EM, Ghareeb DA, Abdulmalek SA, Abdel-Sattar E. HR LC-MS/MS metabolomic profiling of Yucca aloifolia fruit and the potential neuroprotective effect on rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease in rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282246. [PMID: 36854038 PMCID: PMC9974117 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Yucca aloifolia L. fruit (Yucca or Spanish bayonet, family Asparagaceae) is recognized for its purplish red color reflecting its anthocyanin content, which has a powerful antioxidant activity. This study aimed to investigate yucca (YA) fruit extract's protective effect on Parkinson's disease (PD). In vitro study, the anti-inflammatory activity of yucca fruit extracts was explored by measuring tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNF-R2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-KB) to choose the most effective extract. Afterward, a detailed in vivo investigation of the protective effect of the most active extract on rotenone-induced PD was performed on male albino Wister rats. First, the safety of the extract in two different doses (50 and 100 mg/kg in 0.9% saline orally) was confirmed by a toxicological study. The rats were divided into four groups: 1) normal control (NC); 2) rotenone group; and third and fourth groups received 50 and 100 mg/kg yucca extract, respectively. The neurobehavioral and locomotor activities of the rats were tested by rotarod, open field, and forced swim tests. Striatal dopamine, renal and liver functions, and oxidative stress markers were assessed. Western blot analysis of brain tissue samples was performed for p-AMPK, Wnt3a, and β-catenin. Histopathological examination of striatal tissue samples was performed by light and electron microscopy (EM). The metabolites of the active extract were characterized using high-resolution LC-MS/MS, and the results showed the prevalence of anthocyanins, saponins, phenolics, and choline. Biochemical and histopathological tests revealed a dose-dependent improvement with oral Yucca extract. The current study suggests a possible neuroprotective effect of the acidified 50% ethanol extract (YA-C) of the edible Yucca fruit, making it a promising therapeutic target for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia E. Ali
- Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Samar M. Bassam
- Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharos University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Soha Elatrebi
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Esraa S. Habiba
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Eman A. Allam
- Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Eman M. Omar
- Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Doaa A. Ghareeb
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Shaymaa A. Abdulmalek
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Essam Abdel-Sattar
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
- * E-mail:
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Brain Targeting by Intranasal Drug Delivery: Effect of Different Formulations of the Biflavone "Cupressuflavone" from Juniperus sabina L. on the Motor Activity of Rats. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031354. [PMID: 36771021 PMCID: PMC9921169 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The polar fractions of the Juniperus species are rich in bioflavonoid contents. Phytochemical study of the polar fraction of Juniperus sabina aerial parts resulted in the isolation of cupressuflavone (CPF) as the major component in addition to another two bioflavonoids, amentoflavone and robustaflavone. Biflavonoids have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, hypoglycemic, neuroprotective, and antipsychotic effects. Previous studies have shown that the metabolism and elimination of biflavonoids in rats are fast, and their oral bioavailability is very low. One of the methods to improve the bioavailability of drugs is to alter the route of administration. Recently, nose-to-brain drug delivery has emerged as a reliable method to bypass the blood-brain barrier and treat neurological disorders. To find the most effective CPF formulation for reaching the brain, three different CPF formulations (A, B and C) were prepared as self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS). The formulations were administered via the intranasal (IN) route and their effect on the spontaneous motor activity in addition to motor coordination and balance of rats was observed using the activity cage and rotarod, respectively. Moreover, pharmacokinetic investigation was used to determine the blood concentrations of the best formulation after 12 h. of the IN dose. The results showed that formulations B and C, but not A, decreased the locomotor activity and balance of rats. Formula C at IN dose of 5 mg/kg expressed the strongest effect on the tested animals.
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7
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Morton AJ. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Dysfunction in Animal Models of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2023; 12:133-148. [PMID: 37334613 PMCID: PMC10473141 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-230574] [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] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Sleep and circadian disruption affects most individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) at some stage in their lives. Sleep and circadian dysregulation are also present in many mouse and the sheep models of HD. Here I review evidence for sleep and/or circadian dysfunction in HD transgenic animal models and discuss two key questions: 1) How relevant are such findings to people with HD, and 2) Whether or not therapeutic interventions that ameliorate deficits in animal models of HD might translate to meaningful therapies for people with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Jennifer Morton
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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8
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Adropin increases with swimming exercise and exerts a protective effect on the brain of aged rats. Exp Gerontol 2022; 169:111972. [PMID: 36216130 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.111972] [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: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adropin is a protein in the brain that decreases with age. Exercise has a protective effect on the endothelium by increasing the level of adropin in circulation. In this study, whether adropin, whose level in the brain decreases with age, may increase with swimming exercise, and exhibit a protective effect was investigated. Young and aged male Sprague Dawley rats were submitted to 1 h of swimming exercise every day for 8 weeks. Motor activity parameters were recorded at the end of the exercise or waiting periods before the animals were euthanized. Increased motor functions were observed in only the young rats that exercised regularly. Adropin levels in the plasma, and the adropin and VEGFR2 immunoreactivities and p-Akt (Ser473) levels in the frontal cortex were significantly increased in the aged rats that exercised regularly. It was also observed that the BAX/Bcl2 ratio and ROS-RNS levels decreased, while the TAC levels increased in the aged rats that exercised regularly. The results of the study indicated that low-moderate chronic swimming exercise had protective effects by increasing the level of adropin in the frontal cortex tissues of the aged rats. Adropin is thought to achieve this effect by increasing the VEGFR2 expression level and causing Akt (Ser473) phosphorylation. These results indicated that an exercise-mediated increase in endogenous adropin may be effective in preventing the destructive effects of aging on the brain.
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Illias AM, Yu KJ, Hwang SH, Solis J, Zhang H, Velasquez JF, Cata JP, Dougherty PM. Dorsal root ganglion toll-like receptor 4 signaling contributes to oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy. Pain 2022; 163:923-935. [PMID: 34490849 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord contributes to the generation of paclitaxel-related chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Generalizability of TLR4 signaling in oxaliplatin-induced CIPN was tested here. Mechanical hypersensitivity developed in male SD rats by day 1 after oxaliplatin treatment, reached maximum intensity by day 14, and persisted through day 35. Western blot revealed an increase in TLR4 expression in the DRG of oxaliplatin at days 1 and 7 after oxaliplatin treatment. Cotreatment of rats with the TLR4 antagonist lipopolysaccharide derived from Rhodobacter sphaeroides ultrapure or with the nonspecific immunosuppressive minocycline with oxaliplatin resulted in significantly attenuated hyperalgesia on day 7 and 14 compared with rats that received oxaliplatin plus saline vehicle. Immunostaining of DRGs revealed an increase in the number of neurons expressing TLR4, its canonical downstream signal molecules myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) and TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β, at both day 7 and day 14 after oxaliplatin treatment. These increases were blocked by cotreatment with either lipopolysaccharide derived from Rhodobacter sphaeroides or minocycline. Double staining showed the localization of TLR4, MyD88, and TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β in subsets of DRG neurons. Finally, there was no significant difference in oxaliplatin-induced mechanical hypersensitivity between male and female rats when observed for 2 weeks. Furthermore, upregulation of TLR4 was detected in both sexes when tested 14 days after treatment with oxaliplatin. These findings suggest that the activation of TLR4 signaling in DRG neurons is a common mechanism in CIPN induced by multiple cancer chemotherapy agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina M Illias
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Jie Yu
- Department of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Seon-Hee Hwang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jacob Solis
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jose F Velasquez
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Juan P Cata
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Patrick M Dougherty
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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MacKenzie JL, Ivanova N, Nell HJ, Giordano CR, Terlecky SR, Agca C, Agca Y, Walton PA, Whitehead SN, Cechetto DF. Microglial inflammation and cognitive dysfunction in comorbid rat models of striatal ischemic stroke and alzheimer’s disease: effects of antioxidant catalase-SKL on behavioral and cellular pathology. Neuroscience 2022; 487:47-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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11
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Nemutlu Samur D, Akçay G, Yıldırım S, Özkan A, Çeker T, Derin N, Tanrıöver G, Aslan M, Ağar A, Özbey G. Vortioxetine ameliorates motor and cognitive impairments in the rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease via targeting TLR-2 mediated neuroinflammation. Neuropharmacology 2022; 208:108977. [PMID: 35092748 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.108977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms associated with dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic injury. Vortioxetine is a multimodal serotonergic antidepressant with potential procognitive effects. This study aimed to explore the effects of vortioxetine on motor functions, spatial learning and memory, and depression-like behavior in the rotenone-induced rat model of PD. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were daily administered with the rotenone (2 mg·kg-1, s.c.) and/or vortioxetine (10 mg·kg-1, s.c.) for 28 days. Motor functions (rotarod, catalepsy, open-field), depression-like behaviors (sucrose preference test), anxiety (elevated plus maze), and spatial learning and memory abilities (novel object recognition and Morris water maze) were evaluated in behavioral tests. Then immunohistochemical, neurochemical, and biochemical analysis on specific brain areas were performed. Vortioxetine treatment markedly reduced rotenone-induced neurodegeneration, improved motor and cognitive dysfunction, decreased depression-like behaviors without affecting anxiety-like parameters. Vortioxetine also restored the impaired inflammatory response and affected neurotransmitter levels in brain tissues. Interestingly, vortioxetine was thought to trigger a sort of dysfunction in basal ganglia as evidenced by increased Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) and decreased TH immunoreactivity only in substantia nigra tissue of PD rats compared to the control group. The present study indicates that vortioxetine has beneficial effects on motor dysfunction as well as cognitive impairment associated with neurodegeneration in the rotenone-induced PD model. Possible mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects cover TLR-2 inhibition and neurochemical restoration of vortioxetine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Nemutlu Samur
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey.
| | - Güven Akçay
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sendegül Yıldırım
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Özkan
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Tuğçe Çeker
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Narin Derin
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Gamze Tanrıöver
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mutay Aslan
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Aysel Ağar
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Gül Özbey
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 07058, Antalya, Turkey.
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12
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Garrick JM, Costa LG, Cole TB, Marsillach J. Evaluating Gait and Locomotion in Rodents with the CatWalk. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e220. [PMID: 34370398 PMCID: PMC8363132 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Motor deficits can significantly affect the completion of daily life activities and have a negative impact on quality of life. Consequently, motor function is an important behavioral endpoint to measure for in vivo pathophysiologic studies in a variety of research areas, such as toxicant exposure, drug development, disease characterization, and transgenic phenotyping. Evaluation of motor function is also critical to the interpretation of cognitive behavioral assays, as many rely on intact motor abilities to derive meaningful data. As such, gait analysis is an important component of behavioral research and can be achieved by manual or video-assisted methods. Manual gait analysis methods, however, are prone to observer bias and are unable to capture many critical parameters. In contrast, automated video-assisted gait analysis can quickly and reliably assess gait and locomotor abnormalities that were previously difficult to collect manually. Here, we describe the evaluation of gait and locomotion in rodents using the automated Noldus CatWalk XT system. We include a step-by-step guide for running an experiment using the CatWalk XT system and discuss theory and considerations when evaluating rodent gait. The protocol and discussion provided here act as a supplemental resource to the manual for this commercially available system and can assist CatWalk users in their experimental design and implementation. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M. Garrick
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Lucio G. Costa
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Dept. of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Italy
| | - Toby B. Cole
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Center on Human Development and Disabilities, University of Washington, United States
| | - Judit Marsillach
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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13
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Güzelad Ö, Özkan A, Parlak H, Sinen O, Afşar E, Öğüt E, Yıldırım FB, Bülbül M, Ağar A, Aslan M. Protective mechanism of Syringic acid in an experimental model of Parkinson’s disease. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:1003-1014. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1007/s11011-021-00704-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
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14
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Güzelad Ö, Özkan A, Parlak H, Sinen O, Afşar E, Öğüt E, Yıldırım FB, Bülbül M, Ağar A, Aslan M. Protective mechanism of Syringic acid in an experimental model of Parkinson's disease. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:1003-1014. [PMID: 33666819 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00704-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a widely used chemical to model Parkinson's disease (PD) in rats. Syringic acid (SA) is a polyphenolic compound which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective role of SA in a rat model of 6-OHDA-induced PD. Parkinson's disease was created by injection of 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain bundle via stereotaxic surgery. Syringic acid was administered daily by oral gavage, before or after surgery. All groups were tested for locomotor activity, rotarod performance and catatony. Dopamine levels in SN were determined by an optimized multiple reaction monitoring method using ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The immunoreactivities for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were detected by immunohistochemistry in frozen substantia nigra (SN) sections. Nitrite/nitrate levels, iNOS protein, total oxidant (TOS) and total antioxidant (TAS) status were assayed in SN tissue by standard kits. Motor dysfunction, impaired nigral dopamine release, increased iNOS expression and elevated nitrite/nitrate levels induced by 6-OHDA were significantly restored by SA treatment. Syringic acid significantly improved the loss of nigral TH-positive cells, while increasing TAS capacity and reducing TOS capacity in SN of PD rats. These data conclude that SA is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of 6-OHDA-induced rat model of PD. Syringic acid reduced the progression of PD via its neuroprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge Güzelad
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Özkan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Hande Parlak
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Osman Sinen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ebru Afşar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Eren Öğüt
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Bahçeşehir University, 34734, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Fatoş Belgin Yıldırım
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Bülbül
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Aysel Ağar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mutay Aslan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey.
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Akdeniz University Medical School, 07070, Antalya, Turkey.
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15
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Kurat S, Heinrich P, Molnar-Kasza A, Loeffler T, Flunkert S, Hutter-Paier B. Homozygosity of BACHD rats not only causes strong behavioral deficits in young female rats but also a reduced breeding success. Brain Res 2021; 1761:147396. [PMID: 33662341 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147396] [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: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is known to be a purely genetic disease based on an expansion of a CAG base triplet repeat in the coding region of the Huntingtin gene. Some years ago, researchers were able to introduce the extensive full-length gene sequence of the mutant huntingtin gene into a rodent model. The resulting BACHD rat is already well characterized for behavioral deficits. So far, all analyses in this preclinical rat model were performed in male hemizygous animals. As homozygosity of transgenic models often causes an amplification of the phenotype and female HD patients present a stronger phenotype compared to men, we established a homozygous breeding colony and tested 2 and 5 months old homozygous male and female BACHD rats in a behavioral test battery. The tests included the grip strength test, Rota Rod, elevated plus maze, passive avoidance, and Barnes maze test. Our results show strong deficits in young female homozygous BACHD rats including increased body weight, motor deficits, muscle weakness, reduced anxiety and hypoactivity, as well as learning and memory deficits. Analysis of male homozygous BACHD rats showed only weak disease symptoms, similar compared to male hemizygous BACHD rats of already published studies. Evaluation of the breeding success showed that homozygous BACHD have a reduced number of pups at the time of birth that even decreases until weaning. Our results suggest that the phenotype of homozygous male BACHD rats barely differs from already published results of hemizygous BACHD rats while female homozygous BACHD rats display strong and early alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Kurat
- QPS Austria GmbH, Neuropharmacology, Parkring 12, 8074 Grambach, Austria.
| | - Petra Heinrich
- QPS Austria GmbH, Neuropharmacology, Parkring 12, 8074 Grambach, Austria.
| | - Agnes Molnar-Kasza
- QPS Austria GmbH, Neuropharmacology, Parkring 12, 8074 Grambach, Austria.
| | - Tina Loeffler
- QPS Austria GmbH, Neuropharmacology, Parkring 12, 8074 Grambach, Austria.
| | - Stefanie Flunkert
- QPS Austria GmbH, Neuropharmacology, Parkring 12, 8074 Grambach, Austria.
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16
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Donaldson J, Powell S, Rickards N, Holmans P, Jones L. What is the Pathogenic CAG Expansion Length in Huntington's Disease? J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:175-202. [PMID: 33579866 PMCID: PMC7990448 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) (OMIM 143100) is caused by an expanded CAG repeat tract in the HTT gene. The inherited CAG length is known to expand further in somatic and germline cells in HD subjects. Age at onset of the disease is inversely correlated with the inherited CAG length, but is further modulated by a series of genetic modifiers which are most likely to act on the CAG repeat in HTT that permit it to further expand. Longer repeats are more prone to expansions, and this expansion is age dependent and tissue-specific. Given that the inherited tract expands through life and most subjects develop disease in mid-life, this implies that in cells that degenerate, the CAG length is likely to be longer than the inherited length. These findings suggest two thresholds- the inherited CAG length which permits further expansion, and the intracellular pathogenic threshold, above which cells become dysfunctional and die. This two-step mechanism has been previously proposed and modelled mathematically to give an intracellular pathogenic threshold at a tract length of 115 CAG (95% confidence intervals 70- 165 CAG). Empirically, the intracellular pathogenic threshold is difficult to determine. Clues from studies of people and models of HD, and from other diseases caused by expanded repeat tracts, place this threshold between 60- 100 CAG, most likely towards the upper part of that range. We assess this evidence and discuss how the intracellular pathogenic threshold in manifest disease might be better determined. Knowing the cellular pathogenic threshold would be informative for both understanding the mechanism in HD and deploying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Donaldson
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sophie Powell
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nadia Rickards
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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17
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Hericium erinaceus potentially rescues behavioural motor deficits through ERK-CREB-PSD95 neuroprotective mechanisms in rat model of 3-acetylpyridine-induced cerebellar ataxia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14945. [PMID: 32913245 PMCID: PMC7483741 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71966-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxia is a neurodegenerative disorder with no definitive treatment. Although several studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of Hericium erinaceus (H.E.), its mechanisms in cerebellar ataxia remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of H.E. treatment in an animal model of 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP)-induced cerebellar ataxia. Animals administered 3-AP injection exhibited remarkable impairments in motor coordination and balance. There were no significant effects of 25 mg/kg H.E. on the 3-AP treatment group compared to the 3-AP saline group. Interestingly, there was also no significant difference in the 3-AP treatment group compared to the non-3-AP control, indicating a potential rescue of motor deficits. Our results revealed that 25 mg/kg H.E. normalised the neuroplasticity-related gene expression to the level of non-3-AP control. These findings were further supported by increased protein expressions of pERK1/2-pCREB-PSD95 as well as neuroprotective effects on cerebellar Purkinje cells in the 3-AP treatment group compared to the 3-AP saline group. In conclusion, our findings suggest that H.E. potentially rescued behavioural motor deficits through the neuroprotective mechanisms of ERK-CREB-PSD95 in an animal model of 3-AP-induced cerebellar ataxia.
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18
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Validation of behavioral phenotypes in the BACHD rat model. Behav Brain Res 2020; 393:112783. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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19
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Chakroborty S, Manfredsson FP, Dec AM, Campbell PW, Stutzmann GE, Beaumont V, West AR. Phosphodiesterase 9A Inhibition Facilitates Corticostriatal Transmission in Wild-Type and Transgenic Rats That Model Huntington's Disease. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:466. [PMID: 32581668 PMCID: PMC7283904 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) results from abnormal expansion in CAG trinucleotide repeats within the HD gene, a mutation which leads to degeneration of striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs), deficits in corticostriatal transmission, and loss of motor control. Recent studies also indicate that metabolism of cyclic nucleotides by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is dysregulated in striatal networks in a manner linked to deficits in corticostriatal transmission. The current study assessed cortically-evoked firing in electrophysiologically-identified MSNs and fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs) in aged (9-11 months old) wild-type (WT) and BACHD transgenic rats (TG5) treated with vehicle or the selective PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943. WT and TG5 rats were anesthetized with urethane and single-unit activity was isolated during low frequency electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral motor cortex. Compared to WT controls, MSNs recorded in TG5 animals exhibited decreased spike probability during cortical stimulation delivered at low to moderate stimulation intensities. Moreover, large increases in onset latency of cortically-evoked spikes and decreases in spike probability were observed in FSIs recorded in TG5 animals. Acute systemic administration of the PDE9A inhibitor PF-04447943 significantly decreased the onset latency of cortically-evoked spikes in MSNs recorded in WT and TG5 rats. PDE9A inhibition also increased the proportion of MSNs responding to cortical stimulation and reversed deficits in spike probability observed in TG5 rats. As PDE9A is a cGMP specific enzyme, drugs such as PF-04447943 which act to facilitate striatal cGMP signaling and glutamatergic corticostriatal transmission could be useful therapeutic agents for restoring striatal function and alleviating motor and cognitive symptoms associated with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreaya Chakroborty
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Fredric P Manfredsson
- Parkinson's Disease Research Unit, Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Alexander M Dec
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Peter W Campbell
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Grace E Stutzmann
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vahri Beaumont
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anthony R West
- Department of Neuroscience, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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20
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Lavender AP, Rawlings S, Warnock A, McGonigle T, Hiles-Murison B, Nesbit M, Lam V, Hackett MJ, Fitzgerald M, Takechi R. Repeated Long-Term Sub-concussion Impacts Induce Motor Dysfunction in Rats: A Potential Rodent Model. Front Neurol 2020; 11:491. [PMID: 32547485 PMCID: PMC7274030 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Whilst detrimental effects of repeated sub-concussive impacts on neurophysiological and behavioral function are increasingly reported, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we report that repeated sub-concussion with a light weight drop (25 g) in wild-type PVG rats for 2 weeks does not induce detectable neuromotor dysfunction assessed by beamwalk and rotarod tests. However, after 12 weeks of repeated sub-concussion, the rats exhibited moderate neuromotor dysfunction. This is the first study to demonstrate development of neuromotor dysfunction following multiple long-term sub-concussive impacts in rats. The outcomes may offer significant opportunity for future studies to understand the mechanisms of sub-concussion-induced neuropsychological changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Lavender
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.,School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Samuel Rawlings
- School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Andrew Warnock
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Terry McGonigle
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Bailey Hiles-Murison
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Michael Nesbit
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Virginie Lam
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Mark J Hackett
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Molecular and Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Melinda Fitzgerald
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ralph and Patricia Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,Experimental and Regenerative Neurosciences, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ryusuke Takechi
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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21
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Wang Y, Wang P, Zhang Q, Zhang H, Li Z, Liu X, Kaur L, Kumar M. Amelioration of cognitive deficits by Spirulina platensis in L-methionine-induced rat model of vascular dementia. Pharmacogn Mag 2020. [DOI: 10.4103/pm.pm_438_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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22
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Zlebnik NE, Gildish I, Sesia T, Fitoussi A, Cole EA, Carson BP, Cachope R, Cheer JF. Motivational Impairment is Accompanied by Corticoaccumbal Dysfunction in the BACHD-Tg5 Rat Model of Huntington's Disease. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:4763-4774. [PMID: 30753343 PMCID: PMC7150618 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as avolition, apathy, and anhedonia, precede the onset of debilitating motor symptoms in Huntington's disease (HD), and their development may give insight into early disease progression and treatment. However, the neuronal and circuit mechanisms of premanifest HD pathophysiology are not well-understood. Here, using a transgenic rat model expressing the full-length human mutant HD gene, we find early and profound deficits in reward motivation in the absence of gross motor abnormalities. These deficits are accompanied by significant and progressive dysfunction in corticostriatal processing and communication among brain areas critical for reward-driven behavior. Together, our results define early corticostriatal dysfunction as a possible pathogenic contributor to psychiatric disturbances and may help identify potential pharmacotherapeutic targets for the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Zlebnik
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Iness Gildish
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thibaut Sesia
- Department of Stereotaxy and Functional Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62 Cologne, Germany
| | - Aurelie Fitoussi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ellen A Cole
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian P Carson
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roger Cachope
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
- CHDI Foundation, 6080 Center Drive, Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 20 Penn St., Baltimore, MD, USA
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23
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Pardeep Singh, Kumar M, Bansal N. Azelnidipine Ameliorates Dementia in Streptozotocin Treated Rats: Interplay between Oxidative Stress and Calcium. NEUROCHEM J+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712419030139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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24
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Thompson JM, Blanton HL, Pietrzak A, Little W, Sherfey C, Guindon J. Front and hind paw differential analgesic effects of amitriptyline, gabapentin, ibuprofen, and URB937 on mechanical and cold sensitivity in cisplatin-induced neuropathy. Mol Pain 2019; 15:1744806919874192. [PMID: 31418316 PMCID: PMC6757502 DOI: 10.1177/1744806919874192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin is a widely used platinum-derived antineoplastic agent that frequently results in peripheral neuropathy. Therapeutic strategies for neuropathic pain are limited and characterized by variable efficacy and severe adverse effects. Clinical translation of novel analgesics has proven difficult with many agents demonstrating preclinical efficacy failing in clinical trials. Preclinical studies frequently assess pain behaviors in the hind paws; however, the front paws have a greater degree of the fine sensorimotor functions characteristically damaged by chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. This is the first study to assess pain responses in the front paws. Here, we test the hypothesis that mouse front paws exhibit pain-related alterations in mechanical and thermal (cold) sensitivity in a murine model of cisplatin-induced neuropathy and that pharmacological treatment with amitriptyline, gabapentin, ibuprofen, and URB937 normalize pain behaviors in the front and hind paws. Cold (acetone withdrawal latencies) and mechanical (von Frey withdrawal thresholds) sensitivity were significantly increased and decreased respectively in both the front and the hind paws following initiation of weekly systemic (intraperitoneal) cisplatin injections (5 mg/kg). For the hind paws, systemic administration of amitriptyline (30 mg/kg), gabapentin (100 mg/kg), ibuprofen (0–10 mg/kg), or URB937 (0–10 mg/kg) resulted in a decrease in acetone withdrawal latencies and increase in von Frey withdrawal thresholds with return to normal values at the highest doses tested. For the front paws, return to baseline values for the highest doses was found for cold allodynia but not mechanical allodynia, where the highest doses failed to return to baseline values. These results indicate that mouse front paws exhibit pain-related changes in cisplatin-induced neuropathy and that drug effects can vary based on testing stimulus and location. This suggests that front paw responses across multiple modalities provide reliable and accurate information about pain-related drug effects. Future studies should be aimed at elucidating the mechanisms underlying these differential effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Thompson
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Henry L Blanton
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Agata Pietrzak
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - William Little
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Caitlyn Sherfey
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Josée Guindon
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.,Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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25
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Hegazy MAE, Maklad HM, Abd Elmonsif DA, Elnozhy FY, Alqubiea MA, Alenezi FA, Al abbas OM, Al abbas MM. The possible role of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles in prevention of neurobehavioral and neurochemical changes in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced parkinsonian disease. ALEXANDRIA JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajme.2016.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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26
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The BACHD rat model of Huntington disease shows slowed learning in a Go/No-Go-like test of visual discrimination. Behav Brain Res 2019; 359:116-126. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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27
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Sriraksa N, Kongsui R, Thongrong S, Duangjai A, Hawiset T. Effect of Azadirachta indica flower extract on functional recovery of sciatic nerve crush injury in rat models of DM. Exp Ther Med 2019; 17:541-550. [PMID: 30651834 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic hyperglycemia causes nerves to be more susceptible to compression, which often occurs as a result of hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress impairs nerve function and delays nerve recovery. Azadirachta indica, a herb from Thailand, possesses antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the effect of A. indica flower extract on the functional recovery of a sciatic nerve crush injury in rat models of diabetes mellitus (DM). Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into seven groups including the control rats, rats with DM subjected to sham surgery and treated with vehicle, and rats with DM subjected to the crush surgery and treated with vehicle or A. indica flower extract at a dose of 250, 500 or 750 mg/kg animal body weight, or with vitamin C. DM was induced using a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg animal body weight). Rats subjected to a sciatic nerve crush injury or sham surgery were orally treated with either vehicle, A. indica flower extract or vitamin C for 21 days. Functional recovery was assessed every 3 days using a walking track analysis, foot withdrawal reflex test and rotarod test. At the end of the study, the rats were sacrificed and their left sciatic nerves were harvested in order to determine malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase activity and axon density. The treatment with A. indica flower extract significantly improved functional recovery, especially motor and sensory functions. The extract significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels, and increased superoxide dismutase activity and axon density. The results of the current study indicate that the mechanism underlying the enhanced functional recovery of the sciatic nerve following treatment with A. indica flower extract may be associated with an antioxidative effect. However, further studies are required to confirm the current results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Napatr Sriraksa
- Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Mueang, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Ratchaniporn Kongsui
- Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Mueang, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Sitthisak Thongrong
- Division of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Mueang, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Acharaporn Duangjai
- Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Mueang, Phayao 56000, Thailand
| | - Thaneeya Hawiset
- School of Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Mueang, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
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Kumar M, Bansal N. Fasudil hydrochloride ameliorates memory deficits in rat model of streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer’s disease: Involvement of PI3-kinase, eNOS and NFκB. Behav Brain Res 2018; 351:4-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Alpaugh M, Galleguillos D, Forero J, Morales LC, Lackey SW, Kar P, Di Pardo A, Holt A, Kerr BJ, Todd KG, Baker GB, Fouad K, Sipione S. Disease-modifying effects of ganglioside GM1 in Huntington's disease models. EMBO Mol Med 2018; 9:1537-1557. [PMID: 28993428 PMCID: PMC5666311 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201707763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and psychiatric problems. Previous studies indicated that levels of brain gangliosides are lower than normal in HD models and that administration of exogenous ganglioside GM1 corrects motor dysfunction in the YAC128 mouse model of HD In this study, we provide evidence that intraventricular administration of GM1 has profound disease-modifying effects across HD mouse models with different genetic background. GM1 administration results in decreased levels of mutant huntingtin, the protein that causes HD, and in a wide array of beneficial effects that include changes in levels of DARPP32, ferritin, Iba1 and GFAP, modulation of dopamine and serotonin metabolism, and restoration of normal levels of glutamate, GABA, L-Ser and D-Ser. Treatment with GM1 slows down neurodegeneration, white matter atrophy and body weight loss in R6/2 mice. Motor functions are significantly improved in R6/2 mice and restored to normal in Q140 mice, including gait abnormalities that are often resistant to treatments. Psychiatric-like and cognitive dysfunctions are also ameliorated by GM1 administration in Q140 and YAC128 mice. The widespread benefits of GM1 administration, at molecular, cellular and behavioural levels, indicate that this ganglioside has strong therapeutic and disease-modifying potential in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Alpaugh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Danny Galleguillos
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Juan Forero
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | | | - Preeti Kar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alba Di Pardo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew Holt
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Bradley J Kerr
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Kathryn G Todd
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Glen B Baker
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Karim Fouad
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Simonetta Sipione
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada .,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Novati A, Yu-Taeger L, Gonzalez Menendez I, Quintanilla Martinez L, Nguyen HP. Sexual behavior and testis morphology in the BACHD rat model. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198338. [PMID: 29883458 PMCID: PMC5993248 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which results in brain neurodegeneration and peripheral pathology affecting different organs including testis. Patients with HD suffer from motor and cognitive impairment, and multiple psychiatric symptoms. Among behavioral abnormalities in HD, sexual disturbances have often been reported, but scarcely investigated in animal models. The BACHD rat model of HD carries the human full-length mutated HTT (mHTT) genomic sequence with 97 CAG-CAA repeats and displays HD-like alterations at neuropathological and behavioral level. OBJECTIVE This study aims to phenotype the BACHD rats' sexual behavior and performance as well as testis morphology because alterations in these aspects have been associated to HD. METHODS Two rat cohorts at the age of 3 and 7 months were subjected to mating tests to assess different parameters of sexual behavior. Histological analyses for testis morphology were performed in different rat cohorts at 1.5, 7 and 12 months of age whereas immunohistochemical analyses were carried out at 7 and 12 months of age to visualize the presence of mHTT in testicular tissue. Furthermore, western blot analyses were used to assess HTT and mHTT expression levels in striatum and testis at three months of age. RESULTS At 3 months, BACHD rats showed a decreased time exploring the female anogenital area (AGA), decreased latency to mount, increased number of intromissions and ejaculations and enhanced hit rate. At 7 months, all sexual parameters were comparable between genotypes with the exception that BACHD rats explored the AGA less than wild type rats. Testis analyses did not reveal any morphological alteration at any of the examined ages, but showed presence of mHTT limited to Sertoli cells in transgenic rats at both 7 and 12 months. BACHD rat HTT and mHTT expression levels in testis were lower than striatum at 3 months of age. CONCLUSIONS The testis phenotype in the BACHD rat model does not mimic the changes observed in human HD testis. The altered sexual behavior in BACHD rats at three months of age could be to a certain extent representative of and share common underlying pathways with some of the sexual disturbances in HD patients. Further investigating the biological causes of the sexual phenotype in BACHD rats may therefore contribute to clarifying the mechanisms at the base of sexual behavior changes in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Novati
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Libo Yu-Taeger
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Irene Gonzalez Menendez
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Leticia Quintanilla Martinez
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Novati A, Hentrich T, Wassouf Z, Weber JJ, Yu-Taeger L, Déglon N, Nguyen HP, Schulze-Hentrich JM. Environment-dependent striatal gene expression in the BACHD rat model for Huntington disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5803. [PMID: 29643462 PMCID: PMC5895842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene which results in progressive neurodegeneration in the striatum, cortex, and eventually most brain areas. Despite being a monogenic disorder, environmental factors influence HD characteristics. Both human and mouse studies suggest that mutant HTT (mHTT) leads to gene expression changes that harbor potential to be modulated by the environment. Yet, the underlying mechanisms integrating environmental cues into the gene regulatory program have remained largely unclear. To better understand gene-environment interactions in the context of mHTT, we employed RNA-seq to examine effects of maternal separation (MS) and environmental enrichment (EE) on striatal gene expression during development of BACHD rats. We integrated our results with striatal consensus modules defined on HTT-CAG length and age-dependent co-expression gene networks to relate the environmental factors with disease progression. While mHTT was the main determinant of expression changes, both MS and EE were capable of modulating these disturbances, resulting in distinctive and in several cases opposing effects of MS and EE on consensus modules. This bivalent response to maternal separation and environmental enrichment may aid in explaining their distinct effects observed on disease phenotypes in animal models of HD and related neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Novati
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zinah Wassouf
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonasz J Weber
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Libo Yu-Taeger
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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Genetic Rodent Models of Huntington Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1049:29-57. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71779-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
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33
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Manfré G, Novati A, Faccini I, Rossetti AC, Bosch K, Molteni R, Riva MA, Van der Harst JE, Nguyen HP, Homberg JR. BACHD rats expressing full-length mutant huntingtin exhibit differences in social behavior compared to wild-type littermates. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192289. [PMID: 29415038 PMCID: PMC5802907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms without any cure to slow down or stop the progress of the disease. The BACHD rat model for HD carrying the human full-length mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with 97 polyQ repeats has been recently established as a promising model which reproduces several HD-like features. While motor and cognitive functions have been characterized in BACHD rats, little is known about their social phenotype. Objective This study focuses especially on social behavior since evidence for social disturbances exists in human patients. Our objective was to compare social behavior in BACHD and wild-type (WT) rats at different ages, using two different measures of sociability. Methods Animals were tested longitudinally at the age of 2, 4 and 8 months in the social interaction test to examine different parameters of sociability. A separate cohort of 7 month old rats was tested in the three chamber social test to measure both sociability and social novelty. Gene expression analyses in 8 months old animals were performed by real time qRT-PCR to evaluate a potential involvement of D1 and D2 dopaminergic receptors and the contribution of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to the observed behavioral alterations. Results In the social interaction test, BACHD rats showed age-dependent changes in behaviour when they were-re introduced to their cagemate after a 24 hours-period of individual housing. The time spent on nape attacks increased with aging. Furthermore, a significant higher level of pinning at 2 months of age was shown in the BACHD rats compared to wild-types, followed by a reduction at 4 and 8 months. On the other hand, BACHD rats exhibited a decreased active social behaviour compared to wild-types, reflected by genotype-effects on approaching, following and social nose contact. In the three chamber social test, BACHD rats seemed to show a mild deficit in preference for social novelty, but no changes in social interest. Molecular analyses revealed that BACHD animals exposed to the social interaction test displayed decreased mRNA levels of the total form of BDNF in ventral striatum and unaltered striatal expression of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors. Conclusions Taken together, these results indicate deficits in several parameters representative of sociability. Altered BDNF expression in the ventral striatum may contribute to the deficits in sociability in 8 months old BACHD rats. These data support the validity of the BACHD rat model in mimicking features of certain social deficits that could be relevant to symptoms in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Manfré
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Arianna Novati
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre of Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ilaria Faccini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea C. Rossetti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Kari Bosch
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A. Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Johanneke E. Van der Harst
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre of Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Plank AC, Canneva F, Raber KA, Urbach YK, Dobner J, Puchades M, Bjaalie JG, Gillmann C, Bäuerle T, Riess O, Nguyen HHP, von Hörsten S. Early Alterations in Operant Performance and Prominent Huntingtin Aggregation in a Congenic F344 Rat Line of the Classical CAG n51trunc Model of Huntington Disease. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:11. [PMID: 29422836 PMCID: PMC5788972 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The transgenic rat model of Huntington disease expressing a fragment of mutant HTT (tgHD rat) has been thoroughly characterized and reproduces hallmark symptoms of human adult-onset HD. Pursuing the optimization of this model for evaluation of translational therapeutic approaches, the F344 inbred rat strain was considered as advantageous genetic background for the expression of the HD transgenic construct. In the present study, a novel congenic line of the SPRDtgHD transgenic model of HD, carrying 51 CAG repeats, was generated on the F344 rat genetic background. To assess the behavioral phenotype, classical assays investigating motor function, emotion, and sensorimotor gating were applied, along with automated screening of metabolic and activity parameters as well as operant conditioning tasks. The neuropathological phenotype was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging. F344tgHD rats displayed markedly reduced anxiety-like behavior in the social interaction test and elevated impulsivity traits already at 3 months of age. Neuropathologically, reduced striatal volume and pronounced aggregation of mutant huntingtin in several brain regions were detected at later disease stage. In conclusion, the congenic F344tgHD model reproduces key aspects of the human HD phenotype, substantiating its value for translational therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Christine Plank
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabio Canneva
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kerstin A Raber
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yvonne K Urbach
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Dobner
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maja Puchades
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jan G Bjaalie
- Neural Systems Laboratory, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Clarissa Gillmann
- Preclinical Imaging Platform Erlangen, Institute of Radiology, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tobias Bäuerle
- Preclinical Imaging Platform Erlangen, Institute of Radiology, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Riess
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University Clinics Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hoa H P Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University Clinics Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephan von Hörsten
- Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Clinics Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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Abstract
Rodents (especially Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus) have been the most widely used models in biomedical research for many years. A notable shift has taken place over the last two decades, with mice taking a more and more prominent role in biomedical science compared to rats. This shift was primarily instigated by the availability of a much larger genetic toolbox for mice, particularly embryonic-stem-cell-based targeting technology for gene disruption. With the recent emergence of tools for altering the rat genome, notably genome-editing technologies, the technological gap between the two organisms is closing, and it is becoming more important to consider the physiological, anatomical, biochemical and pharmacological differences between rats and mice when choosing the right model system for a specific biological question. The aim of this short review and accompanying poster is to highlight some of the most important differences, and to discuss their impact on studies of human diseases, with a special focus on neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Ellenbroek
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6041, New Zealand
| | - Jiun Youn
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6041, New Zealand
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36
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Of rodents and men: understanding the emergence of motor and cognitive symptoms in Huntington disease. Behav Pharmacol 2017; 27:403-14. [PMID: 26886208 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Arguably, one of the most important milestones in Huntington disease research since the discovery of the gene responsible has been the generation of different genetic animal models. Although clinical reports have shown evidence of progressive cognitive impairments in gene carriers before motor symptoms are diagnosed, such symptoms have been much less obvious in animal models. In this review, we summarize the three main classes of animal models for Huntington disease and describe some relevant translational assays for behavioural deficits evaluation. Finally, we argue that a good knowledge of the emergence of motor and cognitive symptoms in mice and rat models is indispensable for the selection of endpoint measures in early preclinical drug screening studies.
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Manfré G, Clemensson EKH, Kyriakou EI, Clemensson LE, van der Harst JE, Homberg JR, Nguyen HP. The BACHD Rat Model of Huntington Disease Shows Specific Deficits in a Test Battery of Motor Function. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:218. [PMID: 29163089 PMCID: PMC5675855 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. HD is usually diagnosed by the appearance of motor deficits, resulting in skilled hand use disruption, gait abnormality, muscle wasting and choreatic movements. The BACHD transgenic rat model for HD represents a well-established transgenic rodent model of HD, offering the prospect of an in-depth characterization of the motor phenotype. Objective: The present study aims to characterize different aspects of motor function in BACHD rats, combining classical paradigms with novel high-throughput behavioral phenotyping. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and transgenic animals were tested longitudinally from 2 to 12 months of age. To measure fine motor control, rats were challenged with the pasta handling test and the pellet reaching test. To evaluate gross motor function, animals were assessed by using the holding bar and the grip strength tests. Spontaneous locomotor activity and circadian rhythmicity were assessed in an automated home-cage environment, namely the PhenoTyper. We then integrated existing classical methodologies to test motor function with automated home-cage assessment of motor performance. Results: BACHD rats showed strong impairment in muscle endurance at 2 months of age. Altered circadian rhythmicity and locomotor activity were observed in transgenic animals. On the other hand, reaching behavior, forepaw dexterity and muscle strength were unaffected. Conclusions: The BACHD rat model exhibits certain features of HD patients, like muscle weakness and changes in circadian behavior. We have observed modest but clear-cut deficits in distinct motor phenotypes, thus confirming the validity of this transgenic rat model for treatment and drug discovery purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Manfré
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands.,Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Erik K H Clemensson
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Elisavet I Kyriakou
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands.,Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Laura E Clemensson
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Johanneke E van der Harst
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Noldus Information Technology BV, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre of Rare Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Hernández-López F, Rodríguez-Landa J, Puga-Olguín A, Germán-Ponciano L, Rivadeneyra-Domínguez E, Bernal-Morales B. Analysis of activity and motor coordination in rats undergoing stereotactic surgery and implantation of a cannula into the dorsal hippocampus. NEUROLOGÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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39
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Análisis de la actividad y coordinación motora en ratas con cirugía estereotáxica e implante de cánula en el hipocampo dorsal. Neurologia 2017; 32:579-586. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Hegazy MA, Maklad HM, Samy DM, Abdelmonsif DA, El Sabaa BM, Elnozahy FY. Cerium oxide nanoparticles could ameliorate behavioral and neurochemical impairments in 6-hydroxydopamine induced Parkinson's disease in rats. Neurochem Int 2017; 108:361-371. [PMID: 28527632 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) showed promising effects in neurodegenerative diseases including some animal models of Parkinsonism. However, the implication of CeO2NPs in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced Parkinsonism remains to be investigated. AIM This study was designed to assess whether CeO2NPs treatment could alleviate neurobehavioral and neurobiochemical deficits in 6-OHDA induced neurotoxicity in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS 50 rats received left intrastriatal (IS) injection of either saline (control, n = 10) or 6-OHDA (n = 40). At the third week post-lesion, motor dysfunction was verified using neurobehavioral tests. Then diseased rats received intraperitoneal injection of 0.1, 0.5 or 1 mg/kg of CeO2NPs or vehicle (10 rats each) for 3 weeks. Rats were subjected to behavioral assessments and then sacrificed for biochemical analyses of the striatum. Striatal dopamine levels, oxidative stress markers including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and caspase 3 activity as an apoptotic marker were assessed. RESULTS Different doses of CeO2NPs variably improved motor dysfunctions induced by 6-OHDA injection in open field, Rota Rod and stepping tests. In addition, the neurobiochemical derangements were almost reversed by the 0.5 mg/kg dose of CeO2NPs, while 0.1 mg/kg dose was not sufficient to alter biochemical measurements in the striatum. Administration of 1 mg/kg of CeO2NPs partially ameliorated striatal dopamine and decreased apoptosis without significant effect on oxidative stress. CONCLUSION The present study showed a putative therapeutic role of CeO2NPs in the treatment of 6-OHDA-induced Parkinsonian rats, and suggested their antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects as possible mechanisms for elevated striatal dopamine level and improved motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha A Hegazy
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hala M Maklad
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Doaa M Samy
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Doaa A Abdelmonsif
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt; Molecular Biology and Nanomedicine Labs, Centre of Excellence for Regenerative Medicine Research, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Bassma M El Sabaa
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Fatma Y Elnozahy
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Moassat Hospital, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
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41
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Clemensson EKH, Clemensson LE, Fabry B, Riess O, Nguyen HP. Further investigation of phenotypes and confounding factors of progressive ratio performance and feeding behavior in the BACHD rat model of Huntington disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173232. [PMID: 28273120 PMCID: PMC5342229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, psychiatric and metabolic symptoms. We recently published a study describing that the BACHD rat model of HD shows an obesity phenotype, which might affect their motivation to perform food-based behavioral tests. Further, we argued that using a food restriction protocol based on matching BACHD and wild type rats' food consumption rates might resolve these motivational differences. In the current study, we followed up on these ideas in a longitudinal study of the rats' performance in a progressive ratio test. We also investigated the phenotype of reduced food consumption rate, which is typically seen in food-restricted BACHD rats, in greater detail. In line with our previous study, the BACHD rats were less motivated to perform the progressive ratio test compared to their wild type littermates, although the phenotype was no longer present when the rats' food consumption rates had been matched. However, video analysis of food consumption tests suggested that the reduced consumption rate found in the BACHD rats was not entirely based on differences in hunger, but likely involved motoric impairments. Thus, restriction protocols based on food consumption rates are not appropriate when working with BACHD rats. As an alternative, we suggest that studies where BACHD rats are used should investigate how the readouts of interest are affected by motivational differences, and use appropriate control tests to avoid misleading results. In addition, we show that BACHD rats display distinct behavioral changes in their progressive ratio performance, which might be indicative of striatal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Karl Håkan Clemensson
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Laura Emily Clemensson
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- QPS Austria, Grambach, Austria
| | | | - Olaf Riess
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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Rivadeneyra-Domínguez E, Rodríguez-Landa J. Motor impairments induced by microinjection of linamarin in the dorsal hippocampus of Wistar rats. NEUROLOGÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Alteraciones motoras inducidas por la microinyección de linamarina en el hipocampo dorsal de la rata Wistar. Neurologia 2016; 31:516-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2014.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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High-speed video gait analysis reveals early and characteristic locomotor phenotypes in mouse models of neurodegenerative movement disorders. Behav Brain Res 2016; 311:340-353. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.04.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Clemens LE, Weber JJ, Wlodkowski TT, Yu-Taeger L, Michaud M, Calaminus C, Eckert SH, Gaca J, Weiss A, Magg JCD, Jansson EKH, Eckert GP, Pichler BJ, Bordet T, Pruss RM, Riess O, Nguyen HP. Olesoxime suppresses calpain activation and mutant huntingtin fragmentation in the BACHD rat. Brain 2015; 138:3632-53. [PMID: 26490331 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a fatal human neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HTT gene, which translates into a mutant huntingtin protein. A key event in the molecular pathogenesis of Huntington's disease is the proteolytic cleavage of mutant huntingtin, leading to the accumulation of toxic protein fragments. Mutant huntingtin cleavage has been linked to the overactivation of proteases due to mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium derangements. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of olesoxime, a mitochondria-targeting, neuroprotective compound, in the BACHD rat model of Huntington's disease. BACHD rats were treated with olesoxime via the food for 12 months. In vivo analysis covered motor impairments, cognitive deficits, mood disturbances and brain atrophy. Ex vivo analyses addressed olesoxime's effect on mutant huntingtin aggregation and cleavage, as well as brain mitochondria function. Olesoxime improved cognitive and psychiatric phenotypes, and ameliorated cortical thinning in the BACHD rat. The treatment reduced cerebral mutant huntingtin aggregates and nuclear accumulation. Further analysis revealed a cortex-specific overactivation of calpain in untreated BACHD rats. Treated BACHD rats instead showed significantly reduced levels of mutant huntingtin fragments due to the suppression of calpain-mediated cleavage. In addition, olesoxime reduced the amount of mutant huntingtin fragments associated with mitochondria, restored a respiration deficit, and enhanced the expression of fusion and outer-membrane transport proteins. In conclusion, we discovered the calpain proteolytic system, a key player in Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, as a target of olesoxime. Our findings suggest that olesoxime exerts its beneficial effects by improving mitochondrial function, which results in reduced calpain activation. The observed alleviation of behavioural and neuropathological phenotypes encourages further investigations on the use of olesoxime as a therapeutic for Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Clemens
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jonasz J Weber
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tanja T Wlodkowski
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Libo Yu-Taeger
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Magali Michaud
- 3 Trophos SA., Parc Scientifique de Luminy Case 931, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Carsten Calaminus
- 4 Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Schamim H Eckert
- 5 Department of Pharmacology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Janett Gaca
- 5 Department of Pharmacology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Weiss
- 6 Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Klybeckstrasse 141, 4057 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Janine C D Magg
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Erik K H Jansson
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Gunter P Eckert
- 5 Department of Pharmacology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bernd J Pichler
- 4 Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, University of Tuebingen, Roentgenweg 13, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thierry Bordet
- 3 Trophos SA., Parc Scientifique de Luminy Case 931, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Rebecca M Pruss
- 3 Trophos SA., Parc Scientifique de Luminy Case 931, 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Olaf Riess
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Huu P Nguyen
- 1 Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany 2 Centre for Rare Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Calwerstrasse 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
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Reduced impact of emotion on choice behavior in presymptomatic BACHD rats, a transgenic rodent model for Huntington Disease. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 125:249-57. [PMID: 26463506 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Executive dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms are hallmarks of Huntington disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder genetically characterized by expanded CAG repeats in the HTT gene. Using the BACHD rat model of HD (97 CAG-CAA repeats), the present research seeks to characterize the progressive emergence of decision-making impairments in a rat version of the Iowa Gambling Task (RGT) and the impact of emotional modulation, whether positive or negative, on choice behavior. The choice efficiency shown both by WT rats (independent of their age) and the youngest BACHD rats (2 and 8months old) evidenced that they are able to integrate outcomes of past decisions to determine expected reward values for each option. However, 18months old BACHD rats made fewer choices during the RGT session and were less efficient in choosing advantageous options than younger animals. Presenting either chocolate pellets or electrical footshocks half-way through a second RGT session reduced exploratory activity (inefficient nose-poking) and choices with a weaker effect on BACHD animals than on WT. Choice efficiency was left intact in transgenic rats. Our results bring new knowledge on executive impairments and impact of emotional state on decision-making at different stages of the disease, increasing the face-validity of the BACHD rat model.
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Hyrskyluoto A, Bruelle C, Lundh SH, Do HT, Kivinen J, Rappou E, Reijonen S, Waltimo T, Petersén Å, Lindholm D, Korhonen L. Ubiquitin-specific protease-14 reduces cellular aggregates and protects against mutant huntingtin-induced cell degeneration: involvement of the proteasome and ER stress-activated kinase IRE1α. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 23:5928-39. [PMID: 24951540 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal inherited neurological disease caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in the first exon of huntingtin gene encoding for the huntingtin protein (Htt). In HD, there is an accumulation of intracellular aggregates of mutant Htt that negatively influence cellular functions. The aggregates contain ubiquitin, and part of the HD pathophysiology could result from an imbalance in cellular ubiquitin levels. Deubiquitinating enzymes are important for replenishing the ubiquitin pool, but less is known about their roles in brain diseases. We show here that overexpression of the ubiquitin-specific protease-14 (Usp14) reduces cellular aggregates in mutant Htt-expressing cells mainly via the ubiquitin proteasome system. We also observed that the serine-threonine kinase IRE1 involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses is activated in mutant Htt-expressing cells in culture as well as in the striatum of mutant Htt transgenic (BACHD) mice. Usp14 interacted with IRE1 in control cells but less in mutant Htt-expressing cells. Overexpression of Usp14 in turn was able to inhibit phosphorylation of IRE1α in mutant Htt-overexpressing cells and to protect against cell degeneration and caspase-3 activation. These results show that ER stress-mediated IRE1 activation is part of mutant Htt toxicity and that this is counteracted by Usp14 expression. Usp14 effectively reduced cellular aggregates and counteracted cell degeneration indicating an important role of this protein in mutant Htt-induced cell toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alise Hyrskyluoto
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Céline Bruelle
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sofia H Lundh
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Lund University, Lund SE-221 84, Sweden and
| | - Hai Thi Do
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenny Kivinen
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elisabeth Rappou
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sami Reijonen
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuure Waltimo
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Lund University, Lund SE-221 84, Sweden and
| | - Dan Lindholm
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland,
| | - Laura Korhonen
- Institute of Biomedicine/Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki FIN-00290, Finland, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki, Finland, Division of Child Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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Abada YSK, Nguyen HP, Ellenbroek B, Schreiber R. Reversal learning and associative memory impairments in a BACHD rat model for Huntington disease. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71633. [PMID: 24223692 PMCID: PMC3815226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chorea and psychiatric symptoms are hallmarks of Huntington disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder, genetically characterized by the presence of expanded CAG repeats (>35) in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. HD patients present psychiatric symptoms prior to the onset of motor symptoms and we recently found a similar emergence of non motor and motor deficits in BACHD rats carrying the human full length mutated HTT (97 CAG-CAA repeats). We evaluated cognitive performance in reversal learning and associative memory tests in different age cohorts of BACHD rats. Male wild type (WT) and transgenic (TG) rats between 2 and 12 months of age were tested. Learning and strategy shifting were assessed in a cross-maze test. Associative memory was evaluated in different fear conditioning paradigms (context, delay and trace). The possible confound of a fear conditioning phenotype by altered sensitivity to a 'painful' stimulus was assessed in a flinch-jump test. In the cross maze, 6 months old TG rats showed a mild impairment in reversal learning. In the fear conditioning tasks, 4, 6 and 12 months old TG rats showed a marked reduction in contextual fear conditioning. In addition, TG rats showed impaired delay conditioning (9 months) and trace fear conditioning (3 months). This phenotype was unlikely to be affected by a change in 'pain' sensitivity as WT and TG rats showed no difference in their threshold response in the flinch-jump test. Our results suggest that BACHD rats have a profound associative memory deficit and, possibly, a deficit in reversal learning as assessed in a cross maze task. The time course for the emergence of these symptoms (i.e., before the occurrence of motor symptoms) in this rat model for HD appears similar to the time course in patients. These data suggest that BACHD rats may be a useful model for preclinical drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yah-se K. Abada
- Neuropharmacology, EVOTEC AG, Hamburg, Germany
- Brain Research Institute Dept. of Neuropharmacology, University of Bremen – FB 2, Bremen, Germany
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bart Ellenbroek
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Rudy Schreiber
- Behavioral Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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