Immunocytochemical Study on the Changes of Cell-Death Controlling Factors in the Hippocampal Formation and Entorhinal Cortex of Aged Rats.
- Author:
Su Jin SHIN
1
;
Haing Won WOO
Author Information
1. Chook Ryoung Evangelical Hospital, Namyangju.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Aged rat;
Hippocampal formation;
Entorhinal cortex;
Immunocytochemistry
- MeSH:
Aging;
Animals;
Antibodies;
Brain;
CA1 Region, Hippocampal;
Dendrites;
Dentate Gyrus;
Entorhinal Cortex*;
Hippocampus*;
Immunohistochemistry;
In Situ Hybridization;
Learning;
Memory;
Neurons;
Rats*;
RNA, Messenger
- From:Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
2001;40(3):520-533
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: Hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex play a part in learning and memory. This study sought to investigate the change of cell-death controlling factors in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex of aged rats. METHODS: Ten aged rats and ten controls were studied. We performed immunocytochemical method using antibodies against NOS, VIP, c-fos , bcl-2, bax and p53 and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: 1) The number of nNOS-immunoreactive(IR) neurons in the entorhinal cortex was significantly decreased in the aged rats(>30%). Morphologically, the number of dendritic branches seemed to be decreased and the length of dendrites showed a tendency to by shortened in the aged group. A major loss of nNOS mRNA positive neurons was observed in the hippocampal formation of the aged rats(>30%). 2) VIP-IR neurons were predominantly bipolar cell. VIP-IR cells were mildly decreased in the hippocampus and subiculum(<15%), and moderately decreased in the dentate gyrus and entorhinal cortex of the aged rats(15-30%). The number and length of dendritic branches also appeared to have decreased and shortened in the aged group. 3) c-Fos immunoreactivity at cellular level was restricted only to the nucleus. c-Fos-IR nuclei were moderately decreased in the hippocampus(15-30%), and severely decreased in dentate gyrus, subiculum and entorhinal cortex of the aged rats(>30%). 4) Bcl-2 mRNA positive neurons were moderately decreased in the hippocampus, subiculum and entorhinal cortex(15-30%), and severely decreased in dentate gyrus of the aged rats(>30%). 5) Bax-IR neurons were similarly distributed between the control and the aged rats, but bax-IR neurons of the aged group, as compared to the control group, were weakly immunostained. 6) P53-IR neurons were only observed in hippocampal CA1 region of the aged rats. CONCLUSION: These results indicate the involvement of neuronal system containing NOS, VIP, c-fos, bcl-2 and p53 in the brain aging process, and provide the morphological evidence for the changes in immunoreactivity of cell-death controlling factors in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex of aged rats.
