Effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection upon the expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and N-methyl-D-aspirate receptor in rat hippocampus
10.3969/j.issn.1002-2694.2009.12.009
- VernacularTitle:弓形虫感染对大鼠海马BDNF和NMDA表达的影响
- Author:
Yonghua ZHOU
;
Yuhong HU
;
Xiangming GU
;
Yuzheng HUANG
;
Jie WANG
;
Min DONG
;
Fang SHI
;
Yongliang XU
;
Qi GAO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii infection;
brain-derived neurotrophic factor;
N-methyl-D-aspirate(NMDA);
hippocampus;
rat
- From:
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses
2009;(12):1166-1169
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
To investigate the effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection upon the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA and N-methyl-D-aspirate receptor (NMDA) subunits NR2A and NR2B,Wistar rats of 4 weeks old were randomly divided into 3 groups with 10 rats in each group in which 2 mL suspensions of T.gondii tachyzoits in the concentrations of 2×10~7/mL and 2×10~5/mL were injected intra-peritoneally to rats in group A and group B respectively, serving as the experimental groups, while 2 mL of sterile physiologic saline was injected intra-peritoneally in group C serving as the control group. Four weeks after injection, the expressions of BDNF mRNA and BDNF protein in the brain tissues were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical assay and the expressions of NR2A and NR2B immune activity in the hippocampal CA1,CA3 and DG were investigated by using computer-assisted image analysis system. Compared with the control group, the expression of BDNF protein in the hippocampus of the experimental groups was significantly enhanced [(64.27±23.18), (50.39±19.34) vs (44.68±22.74)/mm~2,P＜0.05]. In addition, the increased expressions of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus of the experimental groups were also demonstrated [(0.13±0.02), (0.12±0.02) vs (0.09±0.01); P＜0.05]. In the expression of the NR2A protein, their expressions in group A and B of rats were significantly lower than that of group C in CA3 (P＜0.05),but there was no significant change in CA1 and DG. In the expression of NR2B protein, the expressions in group A and B were also lower than that of group C in CA1 and CA3, and had no significant change in DG. It is evident that the expressions of BDNF mRNA and BDNF protein in hippocampal tissues were significantly increased following chronic infection with T.gondii, supporting the hypothesis that BDNF may be involved in the intrinsic neuro-protective mechanism.
