Local cerebral glucose utilization in the autoimmune New Zealand black (NZB) mouse

Regionally selective decreases in cerebral glucose metabolism in a mouse model of phenylketonuria

Impairment of cognitive function is characteristic of untreated phenylketonuria in humans and in the pah(enu2) mouse model of phenylketonuria. We measured regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose in the adult male pah(enu2) mouse to determine the effect of PKU on functional activity in brain and to discern what, if any, brain areas are affected. Our results demonstrate selective decreases (17-21%) in regions thought to be involved in executive function. Regions most significantly affected include prelimbic, anterior cingulate, orbital frontal and perirhinal cortex. Sensory and motor areas of cortex and hippocampus were remarkably unaffected.

Increased rates of cerebral glucose metabolism in a mouse model of fragile X mental retardation

In humans, failure to express the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) gives rise to fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited mental retardation. A fragile X knockout (fmr1 KO) mouse has been described that has some of the characteristics of patients with fragile X syndrome, including immature dendritic spines and subtle behavioral deficits. In our behavioral studies, fmr1 KO mice exhibited hyperactivity and a higher rate of entrance into the center of an open field compared with controls, suggesting decreased levels of anxiety. Our finding of impaired performance of fmr1 KO mice on a passive avoidance task is suggestive of a deficit in learning and memory. In an effort to understand what brain regions are involved in the behavioral abnormalities, we applied the [(14)C]deoxyglucose method for the determination of cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (CMR(glc)). We measured CMR(glc) in 38 regions in adult male fmr1 KO and WT littermates. We found CMR(glc) was higher in all 38 regions in fmr1 KO mice, and in 26 of the regions, differences were statistically significant. Differences in CMR(glc) ranged from 12% to 46%, and the greatest differences occurred in regions of the limbic system and primary sensory and posterior parietal cortical areas. Regions most affected are consistent with behavioral deficiencies and regions in which FMRP expression is highest. Higher CMR(glc) in fragile X mice may be a function of abnormalities found in dendritic spines.

Behavioral effects of infection with IL-6 adenovector

The onset of autoimmunity in lupus-prone mice is accompanied by a constellation of behavioral deficits, termed Autoimmunity-Associated Behavioral Syndrome (AABS). In particular, a spontaneous increase in serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in five-week old MRL-lpr mice coincides temporally with blunted responsiveness to sucrose and excessive immobility in the forced swim test. These relationships, along with evidence that sucrose intake drops after systemic IL-6 overexpression is induced in healthy mice, have led to the hypothesis that sustained elevation in serum IL-6 also induces other aspects of AABS. This hypothesis is tested by comparing the behavioral profiles of healthy mice infected with Ad5mIL6 adenovirus (2 x 10(8) pfu of virus/mouse i.p.) with those of animals infected with control Ad5 virus. This methodology was used to achieve high circulating levels of IL-6, to overcome the problem of its short half-life, and to avoid the stressful effects of repeated injections. The Ad5mIL6 infection (known to induce excessive IL-6 levels over five days) transiently reduced food, water, and sucrose intake, as well as rectal temperature in MRL +/+ and AKR/J mice. Although the level of locomotor activity did not decline, Ad5mIL6-infected AKR/J mice demonstrated less novel object exploration. Performance in the step-down, plus-maze, and spontaneous alternation tests were disturbed to various degrees in all infected animals. The present results suggest that prolonged exposure to circulating IL-6 primarily impairs ingestive behavior, likely reflecting enhanced catabolism. The inability of circulating IL-6 to alter other aspects of behavior supports the hypothesis that multiple immuno-neuroendocrine mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of AABS.

Dexmedetomidine-induced stimulation of glutamine oxidation in astrocytes: a possible mechanism for its neuroprotective activity

Dexmedetomidine is a highly specific alpha2-adrenergic agonist, which is used clinically as an anesthetic adjuvant and in animal experiments has a neuroprotective effect during ischemia. The current study showed that dexmedetomidine enhances glutamine disposal by oxidative metabolism in astrocytes. This effect occurs at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. It is exerted on alpha2-adrenergic receptors and not on imidazoline-preferring sites, and it is large enough to reduce the availability of glutamine as a precursor of neurotoxic glutamate.

Neurobehavioral alterations in autoimmune mice

Inbred MRL, NZB and BXSB strains of mice spontaneously develop a systemic, lupus-like autoimmune disease. The progress of autoimmunity is accompanied with a cascade of behavioral changes, most consistently observed in tasks reflective of emotional reactivity and the two-way avoidance learning task. Given the possibility that behavioral alterations may reflect a detrimental consequence of autoimmune-inflammatory processes and/or an adaptive response to chronic malaise, they are tentatively labeled as autoimmunity-associated behavioral syndrome (AABS). It is hypothesized that neuroactive immune factors (pro-inflammatory cytokines, brain-reactive antibodies) together with endocrine mediators (corticotropin-releasing factor, glucocorticoids) participate in the etiology of AABS. Since AABS develops natively, and has a considerable face and predictive validity, and since the principal pathway to autoimmunity is known, AABS may be a useful model for the study of CNS involvement in human autoimmune diseases and by extension, for testing autoimmune hypotheses of several mental disorders (major depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, autism and AIDS-related dementia).

Rolling mouse Nagoya as a mutant animal model of basal ganglia dysfunction: determination of absolute rates of local cerebral glucose utilization

In order to elucidate the neuronal mechanism of the motor disturbances of the Rolling mouse Nagoya (rolling), a neurological mutant mouse (genotype rol/rol) showing frequent lurching and falling over on walking, we determined absolute rates of local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) with the [14C]deoxyglucose method. The rates were compared with those of heterozygote (+/rol) with normal behavior, and of normal mice (+/+) of the same strain (C3Hf/Nga). Rolling showed marked and significant increases in LCGU in the structures of the basal ganglia such as the globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra pars compacta and pars reticulata, and subthalamic nucleus, confirming our previous finding with semiquantitative LCGU determination. Additional significant but much less marked increases in LCGU of rolling were found in some structures of the brainstem and limbic system, such as the pedunculopontine nucleus, red nucleus, ventral tegmental area, lateral habenula, and CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus. Although rolling has been regarded as an animal model of cerebellar ataxia, rolling showed no alterations of LCGU in the cerebellum. The heterozygote showed intermediate increases in LCGU between rolling and normal mice in the basal ganglia structures such as the globus pallidus, substantia nigra pars reticulata and subthalamic nucleus. Our findings indicate that rolling has a definite, genetically determined dysfunction of the basal ganglia. The primary site of the basal ganglia dysfunction might probably be in the striatum, involving both the neostriatum and limbic striatum, and resulting in secondary dysfunction in their target structures.