Effects of Chronic Restraint Stress on Apoptosis of Amygdala Cells in Rats.
10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2021.410101
- Author:
Li-Ru DONG
1
;
Jun-Bo LIAN
1
;
Shuang-Jie HUO
1
;
Dan LUO
1
;
Hu YANG
2
;
Xu-Dong SONG
1
;
Xiao-Jing ZHANG
3
;
Bin CONG
3
Author Information
1. Pathology Department of North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated Hospital, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China.
2. Pathology Department of Hebei Provincial General Hospital of the Armed Police Force, Shijiazhuang 050081, China.
3. College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Western blotting;
amygdala;
animal model;
apoptosis;
chronic restraint stress;
elevated plus maze;
enzyme linked immunosorbent assay;
forensic pathology;
rats
- MeSH:
Rats;
Animals;
Hydrocortisone/pharmacology*;
Amygdala/metabolism*;
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/pharmacology*;
Apoptosis;
Body Weight
- From:
Journal of Forensic Medicine
2022;38(4):459-467
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES:To explore the damage effects of chronic restraint stress (CRS) on amygdala cells through the rat CRS model.
METHODS:The rat CRS model was established, and the changes in body weight and adrenal mass in control group and CRS group were monitored at 1 d, 7 d, 14 d and 21 d. The behavior changes were evaluated by the percentage of retention time of open arms and open arm entries using the elevated plus maze (EPM). ELISA was used to detect the concentrations of rat's corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol. The changes of expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in amygdala were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Ultrastructure changes of glial cell were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The apoptosis rate of amygdala was measured by flow cytometry.
RESULTS:Compared with the control group at the same time points, body weight of CRS 1 d, 7 d, 14 d and 21 d groups increased slowly, but adrenal mass increased significantly; the serum level of CRH, cortisol and ACTH increased significantly at 7 d, 14 d and 21 d respectively; the expression of GR in amygdala was increased while that of GFAP was decreased; EPM test suggested that the percentage of retention time of open arms and open arm entries decreased significantly after 14 d. The CRS group showed different degrees of glial cell damage in amygdala, and the apoptosis rate of glial cell was significantly increased in 21 d group.
CONCLUSIONS:This study successfully established a CRS model in rats, and anxiety-like behavioral changes in model rats may be caused by apoptosis of amygdala astrocytes.