Exercise can improve the memory capacity of rats modeling vascular cognitive impairment by activating the Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4 signaling pathway
10.3760/cma.j.cn421666-20240826-00686
- VernacularTitle:运动训练对血管性认知障碍大鼠记忆能力及海马区Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4信号通路的影响
- Author:
Fansi GAO
1
;
Yadan LIU
;
Jianping HUANG
;
Minghong SUI
;
Yan LIU
;
Ruifang SUN
;
Peize CHEN
;
Yun XIANG
;
Guanglin LI
;
Juntao DONG
Author Information
1. 深圳市南山区人民医院康复医学科，深圳 518052
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Exercise;
Vascular cognitive impairment;
Memory function;
Hippocampus;
Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4 signaling pathway
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2025;47(8):679-686
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the effect of exercise on the memory of rats modeling vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and also its effects on the hippocampal Sema3G/neuropilin-2 (Nrp2)/PlexinA4 signaling pathway.Methods:Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham-operated group, a model group, and an exercise group, each of 6. The model and exercise groups underwent VCI modeling via bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, while the sham-operated group received the same surgical procedure without vessel ligation or transection. Beginning forty-eight hours after the surgery, the exercise group carried out daily 30-minute treadmill training sessions, 5 days a week, for a total of 4 weeks, while the other two groups were placed on the same treadmill with it not in operation. After the intervention, cognitive functioning was assessed using the novel object recognition (NOR) test and a Y-maze test. Western blotting was employed to evaluate the expression of Sema3G, Nrp2, PlexinA4, and Rac1 in the hippocampus. Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the distribution of Nrp2 and PlexinA4 in the hippocampus.Results:Compared with the model group, the exercise group exhibited significantly higher NOR indices during both the short-term and long-term memory testing phases after the intervention. Those rats also tended to have significantly longer total exploration times in the novel arm of the Y-maze test. The western blotting revealed that the expression levels of Sema3G, PlexinA4, and Rac1 in the hippocampus were significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the model group, on average. Immunofluorescence showed significantly increased PlexinA4 fluorescence intensity in the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus, and significantly elevated Nrp2 fluorescence intensity in the CA3 region in the exercise group compared to the model group. The Pearson correlation coefficients for Nrp2/PlexinA4 co-localization in the CA1, CA3 and DG regions were significantly higher in the exercise group than in the model group.Conclusions:Exercise training significantly improves memory function in rats with VCI, and this effect may be associated with activation of the hippocampal Sema3G/Nrp2/PlexinA4 signaling pathway.
