1
|
Liu X, Gutierrez AG, Vega A, Willms JO, Driskill J, Panthagani P, Sanchez J, Aguilera M, Backus B, Bailoo JD, Bergeson SE. The horizontal ladder test (HLT) protocol: a novel, optimized, and reliable means of assessing motor coordination in Sus scrofa domesticus. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1357363. [PMID: 38510830 PMCID: PMC10951394 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1357363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Pigs can be an important model for preclinical biological research, including neurological diseases such as Alcohol Use Disorder. Such research often involves longitudinal assessment of changes in motor coordination as the disease or disorder progresses. Current motor coordination tests in pigs are derived from behavioral assessments in rodents and lack critical aspects of face and construct validity. While such tests may permit for the comparison of experimental results to rodents, a lack of validation studies of such tests in the pig itself may preclude the drawing of meaningful conclusions. To address this knowledge gap, an apparatus modeled after a horizontally placed ladder and where the height of the rungs could be adjusted was developed. The protocol that was employed within the apparatus mimicked the walk and turn test of the human standardized field sobriety test. Here, five Sinclair miniature pigs were trained to cross the horizontally placed ladder, starting at a rung height of six inches and decreasing to three inches in one-inch increments. It was demonstrated that pigs can reliably learn to cross the ladder, with few errors, under baseline/unimpaired conditions. These animals were then involved in a voluntary consumption of ethanol study where animals were longitudinally evaluated for motor coordination changes at baseline, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% ethanol concentrations subsequently to consuming ethanol. Consistent with our predictions, relative to baseline performance, motor incoordination increased as voluntary consumption of escalating concentrations of ethanol increased. Together these data highlight that the horizontal ladder test (HLT) test protocol is a novel, optimized and reliable test for evaluating motor coordination as well as changes in motor coordination in pigs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Ana G. Gutierrez
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Arlette Vega
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Joshua O. Willms
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Jackson Driskill
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Praneetha Panthagani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Jordan Sanchez
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Monica Aguilera
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Brittany Backus
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Jeremy D. Bailoo
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Susan E. Bergeson
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu X, Gutierrez AG, Vega A, Willms JO, Driskill J, Panthagani P, Sanchez J, Aguilera M, Backus B, Bailoo JD, Bergeson SE. The Horizontal Ladder Test (HLT) protocol: A novel, optimized, and reliable means of assessing motor coordination in Sus scrofa domesticus. bioRxiv 2023:2023.12.13.571517. [PMID: 38168162 PMCID: PMC10760169 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Pigs can be an important model for preclinical biological research, including neurological diseases such as Alcohol Use Disorder. Such research often involves longitudinal assessment of changes in motor coordination as the disease or disorder progresses. Current motor coordination tests in pigs are derived from behavioral assessments in rodents and lack critical aspects of face and construct validity. While such tests may permit for the comparison of experimental results to rodents, a lack of validation studies of such tests in the pig itself may preclude the drawing of meaningful conclusions. Here, we present a novel, optimized, and reliable horizontal ladder test (HLT) test protocol for evaluating motor coordination in pigs and an initial validation of its construct validity using voluntary alcohol consumption as an experimental manipulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Ana G Gutierrez
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Arlette Vega
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Joshua O Willms
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Jackson Driskill
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Praneetha Panthagani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Jordan Sanchez
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Monica Aguilera
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Brittany Backus
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Jeremy D Bailoo
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Susan E Bergeson
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Willms JO, Mitchell K, Shashtri M, Sundin O, Liu X, Panthagani P, Tran P, Navarro S, Sniegowski C, Shaik AA, Chaudhury T, Reid TW, Bergeson SE. Minocycline and Diacetyl Minocycline Eye Drops Reduce Ocular Neovascularization in Mice. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:10. [PMID: 38064336 PMCID: PMC10709801 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.12.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of minocycline and a novel, modified minocycline analogue that lacks antimicrobial action, diacetyl minocycline (DAM), on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice of both sexes. Methods CNV was induced via laser injury in female and male C57BL/6J mice. Minocycline, DAM, or saline was administered via topical eye drops twice a day for 2 weeks starting the day after laser injury. CNV volume was measured using immunohistochemistry labeling and confocal microscopy. Results Minocycline reduced lesion volume by 79% (P ≤ 0.0004) in female and male mice. DAM reduced lesion volume by 73% (P ≤ 0.001) in female and male mice. There was no significant difference in lesion volume between minocycline and DAM treatment groups or between female and male mice. Conclusions Both minocycline and DAM eye drops significantly reduced laser-induced CNV lesion volume in female and male mice. While oral tetracyclines have been shown to mitigate pathologic neovascularization in both preclinical studies and clinical trials, the present data are the first to suggest that tetracycline derivatives may be effective to reduce pathologic CNV when administered via topical eye drops. However, the action is unrelated to antimicrobial action. Targeted delivery of these medications via eye drops may reduce the potential for systemic side effects. Translational Relevance Topical administration of minocycline and/or DAM via eye drops may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for disorders involving pathologic CNV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua O. Willms
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kelly Mitchell
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | | | - Olof Sundin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Praneetha Panthagani
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Phat Tran
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Stephany Navarro
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Colton Sniegowski
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Abdul A. Shaik
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Tristin Chaudhury
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Ted W. Reid
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Susan E. Bergeson
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|