Developmental Profiles of Hormonal and Metabolic Parameters in Male Rats Selected for Catatonic Type of Response

Catatonia is a psychopathological syndrome which manifests itself clinically mainly as motor disorders (dyskinesia). Currently, catatonia is believed to be associated with such human psychic conditions as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and depression. Despite high incidence, catatonia remains poorly studied, especially with respect to hormonal and metabolic consequences. Modeling catatonic responses on laboratory animals and subsequent analysis of their relationship with expression of important physiological characters (including hormonal and metabolic ones) allow better insight into associative links between psychic and physiological functions of an organism. This work aimed to analyze the parameters of lipid metabolism and testicular steroidogenesis during the neonatal (days 1, 7, 10 and 14), pubertal (7 weeks) and definitive (12 weeks) periods of ontogeny in male rats selected for the catatonic type of response—GC strain recognized as a model of human schizophrenia and depression. During the perinatal developmental period, which is critical for the formation of neuroendocrine regulation, male rats exhibited an increased secretion of androgens (mainly testosterone) required for masculinization of brain structures and some peripheral organs including the reproductive and musculoskeletal systems. In GC male rats, the perinatal testosterone peak was found to shift towards later periods (compared to Wistar male rats) being paralleled by increased serum levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol. During the period of sexual maturation, adult male rats also exhibited differences in the testicular production of testosterone and in lipid levels between the GC and Wistar strains. Throughout the ontogenetic periods studied, GC male rats had a lower body and testicular weight than Wistar rats. The data obtained indicate that genetically determined neuropathological responses of an organism are coupled to the destabilization of the hormonal and metabolic systems.     

去势大鼠新鲜、冷冻卵巢移植后激素代谢变化

目的观察去势大鼠经新鲜、冷冻卵巢移植后体内激素代谢变化情况。方法24只去势大鼠经右下腹皮下移植新鲜卵巢（3 d之内乳鼠卵巢）和经过冻存培养后的卵巢（3 d之内乳鼠卵巢）后,检测移植前、移植后1个月2、个月的三碘甲腺原氨酸（T3）、甲状腺素（T4）、促甲状腺激素（TSH）、睾酮（T）、雌二醇（E2）、孕酮（P）、黄体生成素（LH）及卵泡生成素（FSH）。结果冻存卵巢移植前与新鲜卵巢移植前比较：T值升高,有显著性差异（P〈0.01）;冻存卵巢移植后1个月与新鲜卵巢移植后1个月比较差异无显著性（P〉0.05）;冻存卵巢移植后2个月与新鲜卵巢移植后2个月比较：E2升高明显,差异具有显著性（P〈0.01;新鲜卵巢移植后2个月与移植前比较：T4,T,E2,P,LH均有明显升高（P〈0.01;P〈0.05）;冻存卵巢移植后2个月与移植前比较：E2,P增高明显（P〈0.01;P〈0.05）。结论冷冻卵巢移植较新鲜卵巢移植功能恢复明显。     

Effects of Metformin on Burn-Induced Hepatic Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Male Rats

Severe burn injury causes hepatic dysfunction that results in major metabolic derangements including insulin resistance and hyperglycemia and is associated with hepatic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We have recently shown that insulin reduces ER stress and improves liver function and morphology; however, it is not clear whether these changes are directly insulin mediated or are due to glucose alterations. Metformin is an antidiabetic agent that decreases hyperglycemia by different pathways than insulin; therefore, we asked whether metformin affects postburn ER stress and hepatic metabolism. The aim of the present study is to determine the effects of metformin on postburn hepatic ER stress and metabolic markers. Male rats were randomized to sham, burn injury and burn injury plus metformin and were sacrificed at various time points. Outcomes measured were hepatic damage, function, metabolism and ER stress. Burn-induced decrease in albumin mRNA and increase in alanine transaminase (p < 0.01 versus sham) were not normalized by metformin treatment. In addition, ER stress markers were similarly increased in burn injury with or without metformin compared with sham (p < 0.05). We also found that gluconeogenesis and fatty acid metabolism gene expressions were upregulated with or without metformin compared with sham (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that, whereas thermal injury results in hepatic ER stress, metformin does not ameliorate postburn stress responses by correcting hepatic ER stress.     

Dynamic Metabolic Disruption in Rats Perinatally Exposed to Low Doses of Bisphenol-A

Along with the well-established effects on fertility and fecundity, perinatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, and notably to xeno-estrogens, is strongly suspected of modulating general metabolism. The metabolism of a perinatally exposed individual may be durably altered leading to a higher susceptibility of developing metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes; however, experimental designs involving the long term study of these dynamic changes in the metabolome raise novel challenges. ¹H-NMR-based metabolomics was applied to study the effects of bisphenol-A (BPA, 0; 0.25; 2.5, 25 and 250 μg/kg BW/day) in rats exposed perinatally. Serum and liver samples of exposed animals were analyzed on days 21, 50, 90, 140 and 200 in order to explore whether maternal exposure to BPA alters metabolism. Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was independently applied to each time point, demonstrating a significant pair-wise discrimination for liver as well as serum samples at all time-points, and highlighting unequivocal metabolic shifts in rats perinatally exposed to BPA, including those exposed to lower doses. In BPA exposed animals, metabolism of glucose, lactate and fatty acids was modified over time. To further explore dynamic variation, ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (A-SCA) was used to separate data into blocks corresponding to the different sources of variation (Time, Dose and Time*Dose interaction). A-SCA enabled the demonstration of a dynamic, time/age dependent shift of serum metabolome throughout the rats’ lifetimes. Variables responsible for the discrimination between groups clearly indicate that BPA modulates energy metabolism, and suggest alterations of neurotransmitter signaling, the latter finding being compatible with the neurodevelopmental effect of this xenoestrogen. In conclusion, long lasting metabolic effects of BPA could be characterized over 200 days, despite physiological (and thus metabolic) changes connected with sexual maturation and aging.     

Effects of HIV Infection on the Metabolic and Hormonal Status of Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition

Background

HIV infection occurs in 30% of children with severe acute malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Effects of HIV on the pathophysiology and recovery from malnutrition are poorly understood.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of 75 severely malnourished Ugandan children. HIV status/CD4 counts were assessed at baseline; auxologic data and blood samples were obtained at admission and after 14 days of inpatient treatment. We utilized metabolomic profiling to characterize effects of HIV infection on metabolic status and subsequent responses to nutritional therapy.

Findings

At admission, patients (mean age 16.3 mo) had growth failure (mean W/H z-score −4.27 in non-edematous patients) that improved with formula feeding (mean increase 1.00). 24% (18/75) were HIV-infected. Nine children died within the first 14 days of hospitalization; mortality was higher for HIV-infected patients (33% v. 5%, OR = 8.83). HIV-infected and HIV-negative children presented with elevated NEFA, ketones, and even-numbered acylcarnitines and reductions in albumin and amino acids. Leptin, adiponectin, insulin, and IGF-1 levels were low while growth hormone, cortisol, and ghrelin levels were high. At baseline, HIV-infected patients had higher triglycerides, ketones, and even-chain acylcarnitines and lower leptin and adiponectin levels than HIV-negative patients. Leptin levels rose in all patients following nutritional intervention, but adiponectin levels remained depressed in HIV-infected children. Baseline hypoleptinemia and hypoadiponectinemia were associated with increased mortality.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest a critical interplay between HIV infection and adipose tissue storage and function in the adaptation to malnutrition. Hypoleptinemia and hypoadiponectinemia may contribute to high mortality rates among malnourished, HIV-infected children.     

不同剂量甲泼尼龙对急性百草枯中毒大鼠早期肺损伤干预研究

目的：探讨不同剂量的甲泼尼龙（Methylprednisolone,MPS）对急性百草枯（paraquat,PQ）中毒大鼠早期肺损伤的疗效。方法：采用腹腔注射20％的PQ溶液制作大鼠急性PQ中毒的模型,随机均分为五组,正常对照组（A组）、染毒组（B组）、5mg／kg甲泼尼龙干预组（C组）、15mg／kg甲泼尼龙干预组（D组）、30mg／kg甲泼尼龙干预组（E组）。分三个不同时间点（24、72、168h）处死大鼠（每组每时间点6只）。观察各时间点大体标本,组织病理、肺系数和氧合指数。结果：光镜下肺组织病理学观察,与B组比较C、D、E组大鼠肺的病理学改变,肺泡腔内出血、渗出,炎性细胞浸润、肺泡隔炎性细胞浸润相对较轻,其中以C、E组减轻最为明显。在各组相同时间点肺系数：在三个时间点的值均比B组低（P〈0．05）,其中E组在24h、72h时间点上与C、D组有显著差异（P〈0．05）。C、D、E组与B组的氧合指数的比较各个时间点上均与B组有差异（P〈0．05）,三组之间相互无明显差异。结论：本实验结果显示甲泼尼龙对急性百草枯中毒大鼠的肺损伤具有保护作用,且30mg／kg甲泼尼龙组要优于5mg／kg、15mg／kg甲泼尼龙组。     

不同剂量甲泼尼龙对急性百草枯中毒大鼠早期肺损伤干预研究

目的:探讨不同剂量的甲泼尼龙(Methylprednisolone,MPS)对急性百草枯(paraquat,PQ)中毒大鼠早期肺损伤的疗效。方法:采用腹腔注射20%的PQ溶液制作大鼠急性PQ中毒的模型,随机均分为五组,正常对照组(A组)、染毒组(B组)、5mg/kg甲泼尼龙干预组(C组)、15mg/kg甲泼尼龙干预组(D组)、30mg/kg甲泼尼龙干预组(E组)。分三个不同时间点(24、72、168h)处死大鼠(每组每时间点6只)。观察各时间点大体标本,组织病理、肺系数和氧合指数。结果:光镜下肺组织病理学观察,与B组比较C、D、E组大鼠肺的病理学改变,肺泡腔内出血、渗出,炎性细胞浸润、肺泡隔炎性细胞浸润相对较轻,其中以C、E组减轻最为明显。在各组相同时间点肺系数:在三个时间点的值均比B组低(P<0.05),其中E组在24h、72h时间点上与C、D组有显著差异(P<0.05)。C、D、E组与B组的氧合指数的比较各个时间点上均与B组有差异(P<0.05),三组之间相互无明显差异。结论:本实验结果显示甲泼尼龙对急性百草枯中毒大鼠的肺损伤具有保护作用,且30mg/kg甲泼尼龙组要优于5mg/kg、15mg/kg甲泼尼龙组。     

The Role of Gonadal Steroid Receptor Activation in the Restoration of Sociosexual Behavior in Adult Male Rats

This work tested the hypothesis that gonadal steroid receptor activation was necessary for the restoration of several sociosexual behaviors (such as copulatory behavior, partner preference, 50-kHz vocalizations, and scent marking) in testosterone-treated gonadectomized male rats. Gonadal steroid receptors were blocked by systemic administration of the antiandrogen hydroxyflutamide, the antiestrogen RU 58668, or both antagonists simultaneously in a restoration paradigm. Inhibiting androgen receptors with hydroxyflutamide blocked the restoration of male copulatory behavior, partner preference (time spent with a sexually receptive female over a nonreceptive female), 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations, and scent marking. On the other hand, we did not find that blocking estrogen receptors with RU 58668 inhibited the restoration of copulatory behavior or partner preference in testosterone-treated gonadectomized male rats, even though the level of brain nuclear estrogen receptor occupation was significantly reduced to the level found in gonadectomized males. However, the restoration of scent marking and 50-kHz vocalizations were impaired by RU 58668. Blocking both nuclear androgen and estrogen receptors with the two antagonists simultaneously did not have a greater inhibitory effect than treatment with each antagonist alone. Therefore, the activation of nuclear estrogen receptors is necessary for the restoration of some, but not all, sociosexual behaviors, which are also androgen receptor-dependent. Besides nuclear estrogen receptors, there are additional, but unknown, targets of estradiol that play a role in mediating copulatory behavior in adult male rats. Moreover, the signals from multiple gonadal steroid signaling pathways converge in the regulation of some sociosexual behaviors in adult male rats.     

瑞舒伐他汀对糖尿病大鼠早期动脉粥样硬化形成的影响

目的:观察他汀类调脂药物瑞舒伐他汀(Rosuvastatin)对2型糖尿病(type2diabetesmellitus,T2DM)大鼠早期动脉粥样硬化形成的影响,并探讨其可能的机制。方法:将45只雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(NC组)、2型糖尿病组(DM组)、2型糖尿病瑞舒伐他汀治疗组(DR组),每组15只。以喂高糖高脂饮食方法建立SD大鼠糖尿病模型,DM组、DR组给予高糖高脂饮食1个月后腹腔注射25mg/kg链脲佐菌素;NC组给予普通饮食,注射枸橼酸缓冲液作为对照。在此基础上,DR组给予瑞舒伐他汀5mg/(kg.d)灌胃,NC组、DM组给予生理盐水灌胃。16周后测定各组大鼠总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)水平与稳态血糖(BG)、稳态胰岛素(PGI)浓度,用免疫组化法检测主动脉血管壁白细胞分化抗原40(clusterofdifferentiation 40,CD40)及基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、激活蛋白-1(activator protein-1,AP-1)的表达水平。结果:DM组、DR组TC、TG、LDL-C与BG水平较NC组均显著升高(F=33.71~426....     

Energy Metabolic Changes in the Early Post-injury Period Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Impaired cerebral energy metabolism may be a major contributor to the secondary injury cascade that occurs following traumatic brain injury (TBI). To estimate the cortical energy metabolic state following mild and severe controlled cortical contusion (CCC) TBI in rats, ipsi-and contralateral cortical tissues were frozen in situ at 15 and 40 min post-injury and adenylate (ATP, ADP, AMP) levels were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the energy charge (EC) was calculated. At 15 min post-injury, mildly brain-injured animals showed a 43% decrease in cortical ATP levels and a 2.4-fold increase in AMP levels (P < 0.05), and there was a significant reduction of the ipsilateral cortical EC when compared to sham-injured animals (P < 0.05). At 40 min post-injury, the ipsilateral adenylate levels and EC had recovered to the values observed in the sham-injury group. In the severe CCC group, there was a 51% decrease in ipsilateral cortical ATP levels and a 5.3-fold increase in AMP levels with a significant reduction of cortical EC at 15 min post-injury (P < 0.05). At 40 min post-injury, a 2.6-fold ipsilateral increase in AMP levels and an 11% and 44% decrease in EC and ATP levels, respectively, remained (P < 0.05). A 37–38% reduction of the total adenylate pool was observed ipsilaterally in both CCC severity groups at the early time-point, and a 19% and 28% decrease remained in the mild and severe CCC groups, respectively, at 40 min post-injury. Significant contralateral ATP and EC changes were only observed in the severe CCC group at 40 min post-injury (P < 0.05). The energy-requiring secondary injury cascades that occur early post-injury do not challenge the brain tissue to the extent of ATP depletion and may provide a window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention.     

Early and Long-term Undernutrition in Female Rats Exacerbates the Metabolic Risk Associated with Nutritional Rehabilitation

Human studies have suggested that early undernutrition increases the risk of obesity, thereby explaining the increase in overweight among individuals from developing countries who have been undernourished as children. However, this conclusion is controversial, given that other studies do not concur. This study sought to determine whether rehabilitation after undernutrition increases the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders. We employed a published experimental food-restriction model. Wistar female rats subjected to severe food restriction since fetal stage and controls were transferred to a moderately high-fat diet (cafeteria) provided at 70 days of life to 6.5 months. Another group of undernourished rats were rehabilitated with chow. The energy intake of undernourished animals transferred to cafeteria formula exceeded that of the controls under this regime and was probably driven by hypothalamic disorders in insulin and leptin signal transduction. The cafeteria diet resulted in greater relative increases in both fat and lean body mass in the undernourished rats when compared with controls, enabling the former group to completely catch up in length and body mass index. White adipose tissues of undernourished rats transferred to the high-lipid regime developed a browning which, probably, contributed to avoid the obesigenic effect observed in controls. Nevertheless, the restricted group rehabilitated with cafeteria formula had greater accretion of visceral than subcutaneous fat, showed increased signs of macrophage infiltration and inflammation in visceral pad, dyslipidemia, and ectopic fat accumulation. The data indicate that early long-term undernutrition is associated with increased susceptibility to the harmful effects of nutritional rehabilitation, without causing obesity.     

The Remedial Efficacy of Spirulina platensis versus Chromium-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

This study was conducted to investigate the possible protective effect of Spirulina platensis against chromium-induced nephrotoxicity. A total of 36 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 equal groups (Gps). Gp1 served as control, rats of Gps 2, 3, and 4 were exposed to Spirulina platensis (300 mg/kg b.wt per os) and sodium dichromate dihydrate (SDD) via drinking water at concentration of 520 mg /l respectively. Chromium administration caused alterations in the renal function markers as evidenced by significant increase of blood urea and creatinine levels accompanied with significant increase in kidney’s chromium residues and MDA level as well as decreased catalase activity and glutathion content in kidney tissue. Histologically, Cr provoked deleterious changes including: vascular congestion, wide spread tubular epithelium necrobiotic changes, atrophy of glomerular tuft and proliferative hyperplasia. The latter was accompanied with positive PCNA expression in kidney tissues as well as DNA ploidy interpretation of major cellular population of degenerated cells, appearance of tetraploid cells, high proliferation index and high DNA index. Morphometrical measurements revealed marked glomerular and tubular lumen alterations. On contrary, spirulina co-treatment with Cr significantly restored the histopathological changes, antioxidants and renal function markers and all the previously mentioned changes as well.     

Opposite Effects of Early Maternal Deprivation on Neurogenesis in Male versus Female Rats

Background

Major depression is more prevalent in women than in men. The underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood, but recent data shows that hippocampal volume reductions in depressed women occur only when depression is preceded by an early life stressor. This underlines the potential importance of early life stress, at least in women, for the vulnerability to develop depression. Perinatal stress exposure in rodents affects critical periods of brain development that persistently alter structural, emotional and neuroendocrine parameters in adult offspring. Moreover, stress inhibits adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a form of structural plasticity that has been implicated a.o. in antidepressant action and is highly abundant early postnatally. We here tested the hypothesis that early life stress differentially affects hippocampal structural plasticity in female versus male offspring.

Principal Findings

We show that 24 h of maternal deprivation (MD) at PND3 affects hippocampal structural plasticity at PND21 in a sex-dependent manner. Neurogenesis was significantly increased in male but decreased in female offspring after MD. Since no other structural changes were found in granule cell layer volume, newborn cell survival or proliferation rate, astrocyte number or gliogenesis, this indicates that MD elicits specific changes in subsets of differentiating cells and differentially affects immature neurons. The MD induced sex-specific effects on neurogenesis cannot be explained by differences in maternal care.

Conclusions

Our data shows that early environment has a critical influence on establishing sex differences in neural plasticity and supports the concept that the setpoint for neurogenesis may be determined during perinatal life. It is tempting to speculate that a reduced level of neurogenesis, secondary to early stress exposure, may contribute to maladaptation of the HPA axis and possibly to the increased vulnerability of women to stress-related disorders.     

Training in the Morris Water Maze of Female and Male Rats Exposed to Hypoxia at Various Periods of Prenatal Development

Capability for learning was studied in the offspring of rats exposed to hyporbaric hypoxia on the days 11–13, 14–16 or 18–20 of pregnancy. Training in the Morris water maze has been shown to lead to consequences of effect of prenatal hypoxia evident in males, but not in females. The most pronounced changes are found at training in the male rats whose mothers were exposed to hypoxia on the days 14–16 of pregnancy. The revealed differences in the character of learning depend on experimental conditions. Under “severe” stress conditions (at the water temperature of 16–17°C), prenatal hypoxia leads to an improvement of learning parameters as compared with control, while under more favorable conditions (at the water temperature of 23–24°C), to their deterioration.     

Effect of Early Sucrose Diet on Ethanol Preference and Behavior in Male and Female Wistar Rats

The effect of adolescent sucrose diet on ethanol preference was studied in female and male Wistar rats. Our data show less pronounced ethanol preference in females. In males, pubertal exposure to sucrose was crucial for further ethanol preference, suggesting that cross-sensitization is more inherent to males than females, for whom the increased anxiety factor proved to be more significant. Finally, it was shown that in rats of both sexes habitual alcohol intake determins ethanol preference in the two-bottle test. Overall, our study demonstrates sex differences in ethanol preference as well as its anxiolytic properties.     

SD大鼠断奶后肠道菌群及肠道形态的变化

目的通过对断奶日龄不同的SD大鼠肠道菌群和肠道形态学指标变化的观察研究,为临床上研究肠道相关性疾病提供参考数据。方法选取断奶日龄为21 d的SD大鼠60只,雌雄各半,分别在断奶后第0、7、14、21、28天测定4种肠道正常菌群及肠道黏膜形态变化。结果SD大鼠断奶后不同时间点,不同肠段内大肠杆菌、双歧杆菌、乳酸杆菌和葡萄球菌呈现不同的变化规律,且断奶后第7天肠道细菌移位率明显提高,同时断奶后不同时间点,大鼠不同肠段黏膜厚度、肌层厚度、绒毛长度和宽度都呈现上升趋势。结论断奶后第7天和14天,SD大鼠肠道菌群和肠道形态学变化明显,且易发生肠道细菌移位。     

Shift Work or Food Intake during the Rest Phase Promotes Metabolic Disruption and Desynchrony of Liver Genes in Male Rats

In the liver, clock genes are proposed to drive metabolic rhythms. These gene rhythms are driven by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) mainly by food intake and via autonomic and hormonal pathways. Forced activity during the normal rest phase, induces also food intake, thus neglecting the signals of the SCN, leading to conflicting time signals to target tissues of the SCN. The present study explored in a rodent model of night-work the influence of food during the normal sleep period on the synchrony of gene expression between clock genes and metabolic genes in the liver. Male Wistar rats were exposed to forced activity for 8 h either during the rest phase (day) or during the active phase (night) by using a slow rotating wheel. In this shift work model food intake shifts spontaneously to the forced activity period, therefore the influence of food alone without induced activity was tested in other groups of animals that were fed ad libitum, or fed during their rest or active phase. Rats forced to be active and/or eating during their rest phase, inverted their daily peak of Per1, Bmal1 and Clock and lost the rhythm of Per2 in the liver, moreover NAMPT and metabolic genes such as Pparα lost their rhythm and thus their synchrony with clock genes. We conclude that shift work or food intake in the rest phase leads to desynchronization within the liver, characterized by misaligned temporal patterns of clock genes and metabolic genes. This may be the cause of the development of the metabolic syndrome and obesity in individuals engaged in shift work.     

Bioelement Status with Oral Administration of Fish Oil Methyl Ester and Diesel Fuel in Male Rats

This paper is a study on the effects on the amounts of trace elements in case of possible repeat accidental or environmental exposure with fish oil biodiesel. For this purpose, 35 male Wistar albino rats were used in the study. Rats were divided into five groups. The first group was determined as the control group. The rats in this group were gavaged orally with 250?mg/kg sunflower oil. The rats in the second and third groups were administered by oral gavage of 250?mg/kg (D1) and 500?mg/kg (D2) diesel fuel mixed with equal amounts of sunflower oil, respectively. The rats in the fourth group were administered by oral gavage of 250?mg/kg fish oil biodiesel (F1) and the rats in the fifth group were administered by oral gavage of 500?mg/kg fish oil biodiesel (F2), both mixed with equal amounts of sunflower oil. At the end of the study, bioelement concentrations in the serum and the kidney, lung, and liver tissues were measured using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. It was observed that serum Ca, Mg, and Sr concentrations were significantly (p?相似文献