Gender effect on neurodegeneration and myelin markers in an animal model for multiple sclerosis

BMC Neuroscience

Luciana Giardino²  Laura Calzಠ Roberto C Melcangi³  Silvia Giatti³  Luca Lorenzini²  Sandra Sivilia²  Mercedes Fernández¹  Giulia D'Intino²  Alessandro Massella² 

[1] Health Sciences and Technology - Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Research (HST-ICIR), University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Italy;Dept. of Endocrinology, Pathophysiology and Applied Biology - Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy

关键词: neurotrophins and related receptors;    cerebellum;    spinal cord;    rat;    gender-related;    experimental allergic encephalomyelitis;   

Others  :  1170845
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2202-13-12

 received in 2011-08-25, accepted in 2012-01-24,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) varies considerably in its incidence and progression in females and males. In spite of clinical evidence, relatively few studies have explored molecular mechanisms possibly involved in gender-related differences. The present study describes possible cellular- and molecular-involved markers which are differentially regulated in male and female rats and result in gender-dependent EAE evolution and progression. Attention was focused on markers of myelination (MBP and PDGFαR) and neuronal distress and/or damage (GABA synthesis enzymes, GAD65 and GAD67, NGF, BDNF and related receptors), in two CNS areas, i.e. spinal cord and cerebellum, which are respectively severely and mildly affected by inflammation and demyelination. Tissues were sampled during acute, relapse/remission and chronic phases and results were analysed by two-way ANOVA.

Results

1. A strong gender-dependent difference in myelin (MBP) and myelin precursor (PDGFαR) marker mRNA expression levels is observed in control animals in the spinal cord, but not in the cerebellum. This is the only gender-dependent difference in the expression level of the indicated markers in healthy animals; 2. both PDGFαR and MBP mRNAs in the spinal cord and MBP in the cerebellum are down-regulated during EAE in gender-dependent manner; 3. in the cerebellum, the expression profile of neuron-associated markers (GAD65, GAD67) is characterized by a substantial down-regulation during the inflammatory phase of the disease, which does not differ between male and female rats (two-way ANOVA); 4. there is an up-regulation of NGF, trkA and p75 mRNA expression in the early phases of the disease (14 and 21 days post-immunization), which is not different between male and female.

Conclusions

It is reported herein that the regulation of markers involved in demyelination and neuroprotection processes occurring during EAE, a well-established MS animal model, is gender- and time-dependent. These findings might contribute to gender- and phase disease-based therapy strategies.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Massella et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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