Search

To investigate the effects of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene knockout on the behavior changes and cerebral morphology during aging in mice,and to compare that of young and aged mice between AQP4 knockout mice (AQP4(-/-)) and wild type mice (AQP4(+/+)).Fifty-eight CD-1 mice were divided into four groups: young (2-3 months old) AQP4(-/-), aged (17-19 months old) AQP4(-/-), young AQP4(+/+) and aged AQP4(+/+). The activity levels and exploring behavior of mice were tested in open field. The neurons were stained with toluidine blue and NeuN, the astrocytes and microglia were stained with GFAP and Iba-1, respectively. The morphological changes of neuron, astrocyte and microglia were then analyzed.Compared with young mice, the total walking distance in open field of aged AQP4(+/+) mice and aged AQP4(-/-) mice decreased 41.2% and 44.1%, respectively (P0.05); while there was no difference in the ratio of distance and retention time in the central area of open field. The density of neuron in cortex of aged AQP4(+/+) mice and aged AQP4(-/-) mice decreased 19.6% and 15.8%, respectively (P0.05), while there was no difference in the thickness of neuron cell body in hippocampus CA1 region. The density of astrocyte in hippocampus CA3 region of aged AQP4(+/+) mice and aged AQP4(-/-) mice increased 57.7% and 64.3%, respectively (P0.001), while there was no difference in the area of astrocyte. The area of microglia in hippocampus CA3 region of aged AQP4(+/+) mice and aged AQP4(-/-) mice increased 46.9% and 52.0%, respectively (P0.01), while there was no difference in the density of microglia. Compared with AQP4(+/+) mice, the young and aged AQP4(-/-) mice showed smaller area of astrocyte in hippocampus CA3 region, reduced 18.0% in young mice and 23.6% in aged mice. There was no difference between AQP4(+/+) mice and AQP4(-/-) mice for other observed indexes.AQP4 may be involved in change of astrocyte and astrocyte-related behaviors during aging. AQP4 gene knockout may have limited effects on the change of neuron, microglia and most neuronal behaviors in aging process.

To examine the spatiotemporal profiles and localization of CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 in mice with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson disease (PD).PD model was induced by subcutaneous injection of MPTP (25 mg/kg) for 5 d in adult male C57BL/6 mice. At d10 after MPTP injection, the expression and cellular localization of CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 in the substantia nigra were detected by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.CysLT1R, CysLT22 and GPR17 were normally localized in TH-positive dopaminergic neurons and microglia, while CysLT2R was also expressed in astrocytes. In dopaminergic neurons, approximately 91% co-expressed GPR17, 77% co-expressed CysLT1R and 52% co-expressed CysLT2R. Compared with the control group, TH-positive cells in the substantia nigra were significantly reduced in PD mice. CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17-positive cells were significantly reduced; and CysLT1R, CysLT2R, GPR17-positive dopaminergic neurons were also significantly reduced in the PD group. In the striatum, both CysLT1R and GPR17 were normally expressed in neurons; whereas CysLT2R was expressed in astrocytes. In PD striatum, CysLT1R and GPR17-positive cells were decreased, but CysLT2R expression was significantly increased which mainly expressed in the proliferating astrocytes.CysLT1R, CysLT2R and GPR17 may be involved in the MPTP-induced PD damage in mice.

To investigate the fluctuations in arterial leukocyte phospholipase D (PLD) activity during the perioperative period of open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and the relationship between PLD activity and systemic inflammatory response induced by CPB.Arterial blood was obtained from 26 patients undergoing open heart surgery at 8 different time points during the perioperative period, from which leukocytes were isolated for determination of PLD activity, CD11b expression and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Plasma IL-6, IL-8 and C-reactive protein were also determined. The 26 cases were retrospectively divided into 3 groups according to perfusion time in order to detect the possible influences of CPB on PLD activity and IL-6 and IL-8 levels.When the ascending aorta was declamped, average arterial leukocyte PLD activity was 0.305 +/- 0.132 nmol choline.min(-1).mg(-1), 5.0 times higher of the pre-CPB value, and remained (5.4 times higher of the pre-CPB level) at 72 hours after CPB. Leukocyte CD11b expression and plasma IL-6 and IL-8 levels increased significantly at the end of CPB, while MPO activity and C-reactive protein concentration reached their peaks at 1 and 24 hours, respectively, after CPB. At the end of CPB, the arterial leukocyte PLD activity of patients whose CPB duration was longer than 90 minutes were 1.82- and 1.74-fold that of the other two groups with CPB lasting between 90 and 60 minutes and less than 60 minutes.Arterial leukocyte PLD activity rises significantly in CPB and its elevation is earlier and more persistent than other inflammation-related indicators tested; longer CPB duration leads to higher leukocyte PLD activity at the end of CPB. These results imply that PLD could be a new target for prevention of systemic inflammatory response induced by CPB.