use-three-dimensional-imaging-reconstruction-software-as-training

Use of Three-Dimensional Imaging Reconstruction Software as a Training Tool for Cranial Vena Cava Venipuncture in the Ferret

At the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, three-dimensional (3D) virtual anatomy reconstructive software has been incorporated into the ...

University of Georgia

The contribution of rabies virus (RV) glycoprotein (G) in viral distribution in the brain was examined by immunohistochemistry following stereotaxic inoculation into the rat hippocampus. Viruses used in this study include the highly neuroinvasive challenge virus standard strains (CVS-N2C and CVS-B2C) and the nonneuroinvasive attenuated SN-10 strain, as well as SN-10-derived recombinant viruses expressing the G gene from CVS-N2C (RN2C) or CVS-B2C (RB2C). The distribution of recombinant viruses in the brain was similar to those of the parental viruses from which the G was derived. For example, while CVS-B2C- and RB2C-infected neurons were seen preferentially in the hippocampus, cortex, and hypothalamus, CVS-N2C- and RN2C-infected neurons were preferentially found in the hippocampus, cortex, and thalamus. SN-10 infected efficiently almost all the brain regions. To further study the role of the RV G in virus spreading, we examined the distribution of RV antigen in brains infected with a recombinant RV in which the SN-10 G was replaced with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G (SN-10-VG) was examined. The spreading of SN-10-VG to the cortex and the thalamus was drastically reduced, but the number of infected neurons in hippocampus and hypothalamus, particularly the paraventricular nucleus, was similar to the SN-10 virus. This pattern of spreading resembles that of VSV. Together, our data demonstrate that it is the G protein that determines the distribution pattern of RV in the brain.

The rabies virus glycoprotein determines the distribution of different rabies virus strains in the brain.

Chronic exposure to estradiol-17β (E2) in adult female rats increases mean arterial pressure by stimulating superoxide production in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). However the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are unknown. We hypothesized that E2 exposure induces the gene expression of cytokines, chemokines and NADPH oxidase (Nox) in the RVLM that promotes superoxide production and aging would exacerbate this effect.

Chronic estrogen exposure affects gene expression in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of young and aging rats: Possible role in hypertension.

Previously, we demonstrated that chronic exposure to low levels of estradiol-17β (E2) increases mean arterial pressure (MAP) in young female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Since endothelin-1 (ET-1) is implicated in blood pressure (BP) regulation, we hypothesized that E2's effects on MAP are mediated through central ET-1. To test this, young female SD rats were either sham implanted or implanted s.c. with slow-release E2 pellets (20 ng/day for 90 days). BP was monitored by telemetry. After 75 days of E2 exposure, ET antagonist or vehicle was administered i.c.v. After 90 days of E2 exposure, rats were sacrificed, and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) were microdissected for gene expression and protein analysis of ET-1 and its receptors. E2 exposure increased MAP after pellet implantation. Gene expression of ET-1 and ET but not ET receptors were upregulated in the PVN and RVLM of E2 treated animals. Further, the protein levels of ET receptor were also increased in the PVN of E2 treated animals. However, i.c.v. infusion of the ET antagonist did not completely block the increase in blood pressure. Our results suggest that increases in central ET-1 activity could possibly play a role in chronic E2-induced increase in BP but further studies are needed to completely understand the contribution of ET-1 in this phenomenon.

Chronic exposure to low doses of estradiol-17ß increases blood pressure in young female rats: A possible role for central Endothelin-1.

Women are chronically exposed to estrogens through oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy or environmental estrogens. We hypothesized that chronic exposure to low levels of estradiol-17β (E2) can induce inflammatory and degenerative changes in the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA) system leading to reduced dopamine synthesis and hyperprolactinemia. Young (Y; 3–4 months) and middle-aged (MA; 10–12 months) Sprague-Dawley rats that were intact or ovariectomized (OVX) were either sham-implanted or implanted with a slow-release E2 pellet (20 ng E2/day for 90 days). To get mechanistic insight, adult 3- to 4-month-old WT, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) knockout (KO) mice were subjected to a similar treatment. Hypothalamic areas corresponding to the TIDA system were analyzed. E2 treatment increased IL-1β protein and nitrate levels in the arcuate nucleus of intact animals (Y and MA). Nitration of tyrosine hydroxylase in the median eminence increased with E2 treatment in both intact and OVX animals. There was no additional effect of age. This was accompanied by a reduction in dopamine levels and an increase in prolactin in intact animals. E2 treatment increased nitrate and reduced dopamine levels in the hypothalamus and increased serum prolactin in WT mice. In contrast, the effect of E2 on nitrate levels was blocked in IL-1R KO mice and the effect on dopamine and prolactin were blocked in iNOS KO animals. Taken together, these results show that chronic exposure to low levels of E2 decreases TIDA activity through a cytokine-nitric oxide-mediated pathway leading to hyperprolactinemia and that aging could promote these degenerative changes.

Chronic estrogen affects TIDA neurons through IL-1β and NO: effects of aging.

Diet-induced obese (DIO) rats have altered stress (HPA) axis activity compared to diet-resistant (DR) rats when chronically exposed to a high-fat (HF) diet. Since stress axis is tightly regulated by leptin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone that is important for controlling body weight, we hypothesized that leptin action is impaired in DIO rats leading to alterations in HPA axis activity.

Responsiveness of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to leptin is impaired in diet-induced obese rats.

The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is perturbed in obesity. We previously reported presence of leptin resistance in the brainstem and uncoupling between central noradrenergic tone and the HPA axis in obesity-prone (DIO) rats. Metformin is shown to lower body weight and adiposity, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We hypothesized that this is associated with restored HPA axis function.

Metformin effectively restores the HPA axis function in diet-induced obese rats.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) are well-studied endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), however, the effects of mixtures of these EDCs are not. To assess the consequences of prenatal exposure to a mixture of these EDCs, dams were orally administered either saline (control), BPA (5 μg/kg BW/day), high dose DEHP (HD-D; 7.5 mg/kg BW/day), or a combination of BPA with HD-D in experiment 1; saline, BPA (5 μg/kg BW/day), low-dose DEHP (LD-D; 5 μg/kg BW/day) or a combination of BPA with LD-D in experiment 2. Gestational weights, number of abortions, litter size and weights, number of live births and stillbirths were recorded. Morphometric measures were obtained at birth and body weight, food and water intake were monitored weekly from postnatal weeks 3-12. Offspring were sacrificed at 16-24 weeks of age and organ weights were measured. The abortion rate of dams exposed to HD-D and the mixtures, BPA + LD-D and BPA + HD-D were higher at 9, 14 and 27% respectively. Prenatal exposure to BPA or HD-D significantly decreased relative thymus weights in male but not female offspring. Apoptotic cells were detected in thymus sections of both male and female offspring prenatally exposed to DEHP. Relative heart weights increased in BPA + HD-D exposed male offspring compared to the other groups. The results indicate that a mixture of BPA and DEHP, produced a pronounced effect on pregnancy outcomes. Male offspring appear to be more susceptible to the programming effects of these EDCs or their mixture suggesting a need to reconsider the possible additive, antagonistic or synergistic effects of EDC mixtures.

Independent and combined effects of Bisphenol A and Diethylhexyl Phthalate on gestational outcomes and offspring development in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of gestational exposure to low doses of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol F (BPF) on pregnancy outcomes and offspring development. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally dosed with vehicle, 5 μg/kg body weight (BW)/day of BPA, BPS and BPF, or 1 μg/kg BW/day of BPF on gestational days 6-21. Pregnancy and gestational outcomes, including number of abortions and stillbirths, were monitored. Male and female offspring were subjected to morphometry at birth, followed by pre- and post-weaning body weights, post-weaning food and water intakes, and adult organ weights. Ovarian follicular counts were also obtained from adult female offspring. We observed spontaneous abortions in over 80% of dams exposed to 5 μg/kg of BPF. BPA exposure increased Graafian follicles in female offspring, while BPS and BPF exposure decreased the number of corpora lutea, suggesting reduced ovulation rates. Moreover, BPA exposure increased male kidney and prostate gland weights, BPF decreased epididymal adipose tissue weights, and BPS had modest effects on male abdominal adipose tissue weights. Prenatal BPS exposure reduced anogenital distance (AGD) in male offspring, suggesting possible feminization, whereas both BPS and BPA induced oxidative stress in the testes. These results indicate that prenatal exposure to BPF affects pregnancy outcomes, BPS alters male AGD, and all three bisphenols alter certain organ weights in male offspring and ovarian function in female offspring. Altogether, it appears that prenatal exposure to BPA or its analogues can induce reproductive toxicity even at low doses.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenols affects pregnancy outcomes and offspring development in rats.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by hyperphagia, hyperglycemia and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We have reported previously that daily leptin injections help to alleviate these symptoms. Therefore, we hypothesized that leptin gene therapy could help to normalize the neuroendocrine dysfunction seen in T1D. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were injected i.v. with a lentiviral vector containing the leptin gene or green fluorescent protein. Ten days later, they were injected with the vehicle or streptozotocin (STZ). HPA function was assessed by measuring norepinephrine (NE) levels in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and serum corticosterone (CS). Treatment with the leptin lentiviral vector (Lepvv) increased leptin and insulin levels in non-diabetic rats, but not in diabetic animals. There was a significant reduction in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats due to Lepvv treatment. Both NE levels in the PVN and serum CS were reduced in diabetic rats treated with Lepvv. Results from this study provide evidence that leptin gene therapy in STZ-induced diabetic rats was able to partially normalize some of the neuroendocrine abnormalities, but studies with higher doses of the Lepvv are needed to develop this into a viable option for treating T1D.

Evaluation of the Central Effects of Systemic Lentiviral-Mediated Leptin Delivery in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder with a complex pathophysiology. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a strong risk factor for AD that shares similar abnormal features including metabolic dysregulation and brain pathology such as amyloid and/or Tau deposits. Emerging evidence suggests that circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with T2D. While excess BCAAs are shown to be harmful to neurons, its connection to AD is poorly understood. Here we show that individuals with AD have elevated circulating BCAAs and their metabolites compared to healthy individuals, and that a BCAA metabolite is correlated with the severity of dementia. APP mouse model of AD also displayed higher plasma BCAAs compared to controls. In pursuit of understanding a potential causality, BCAA supplementation to HT-22 neurons was found to reduce genes critical for neuronal health while increasing phosphorylated Tau. Moreover, restricting BCAAs from diet delayed cognitive decline and lowered AD-related pathology in the cortex and hippocampus in APP/PS1 mice. BCAA restriction for two months was sufficient to correct glycemic control and increased/restored dopamine that were severely reduced in APP/PS1 controls. Treating 5xFAD mice that show early brain pathology with a BCAA-lowering compound recapitulated the beneficial effects of BCAA restriction on brain pathology and neurotransmitters including norepinephrine and serotonin. Collectively, this study reveals a positive association between circulating BCAAs and AD. Our findings suggest that BCAAs impair neuronal functions whereas BCAA-lowering alleviates AD-related pathology and cognitive decline, thus establishing a potential causal link between BCAAs and AD progression.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids Are Linked with Alzheimer's Disease-Related Pathology and Cognitive Deficits.

Aging is a complex process that produces profound effects on the brain. Although a number of external factors can promote the initiation and progression of brain aging, peripheral and central changes in the immune cells with time, also play an important role. Immunosenescence, which is an age-associated decline in immune function and Inflammaging, a low-grade inflammatory state in the aging brain contribute to an elevation in cytokine and reactive oxygen species production. In this review, we focus on the pro-inflammatory state that is established in the brain as a consequence of these two phenomena and the resulting detrimental changes in brain structure, function and repair that lead to a decline in central and neuroendocrine function.

Role of cytokines and reactive oxygen species in brain aging.

 Prenatal exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are correlated with adverse behavioral outcomes, but the effects of combinations of these chemicals are unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the dose-dependent effects of prenatal exposure to EDCs on male and female behavior.  Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally dosed with vehicle, bisphenol A (BPA) (5 μg/kg body weight (BW)/day), low-dose (LD) diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) (5 μg/kg BW/day), high-dose (HD) DEHP (7.5 mg/kg BW/day), a combination of BPA and LD-DEHP (B + D (LD)), or a combination of BPA and HD-DEHP (B + D (HD)) on gestational days 6-21. Adult offspring were subjected to the Open Field Test (OFT), Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), and Shock Probe Defensive Burying test (SPDB) in adulthood. Body, adrenal gland, and pituitary gland weights were collected at sacrifice. Corticosterone (CORT) was measured in the serum.  Female EDC-exposed offspring showed anxiolytic effects in the OFT, while male offspring were unaffected. DEHP (HD) male offspring demonstrated a feminization of behavior in the EPM. Most EDC-exposed male offspring buried less in the SPDB, while their female counterparts showed reduced shock reactivity, indicating sex-specific maladaptive alterations in defensive behaviors. Additionally, DEHP (LD) males and females and B + D (LD) females displayed increased immobility in this test. DEHP (LD) alone and in combination with BPA led to lower adrenal gland weights, but only in male offspring. Finally, females treated with a mixture of B + D (HD) had elevated CORT levels.  Prenatal exposure to BPA, DEHP, or a mixture of the two, affects behavior, CORT levels, and adrenal gland weights in a sex- and dose-dependent manner.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A and/or diethylhexyl phthalate alters stress responses in rat offspring in a sex- and dose-dependent manner.

This study examines the sex-specific effects of gestational exposure (days 6-21) to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), or their combination on brain monoamine levels that play an important role in regulating behavior. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered saline, low doses (5 µg/kg BW/day) of BPA or DEHP, and their combination or a high dose (7.5 mg/kg BW/day) of DEHP alone or in combination with BPA during pregnancy. The offspring were subjected to a behavioral test and sacrificed in adulthood, and the brains were analyzed for neurotransmitter levels. In the paraventricular nucleus, there was a marked reduction in dopamine levels ( < 0.01) in male offspring from the BPA, DEHP, and B + D (HD) groups, which correlated well with their shock probe defensive burying times. Neurotransmitter changes in all brain regions examined were significant in female offspring, with DEHP (HD) females being affected the most, followed by the B + D groups. BPA and/or DEHP (LD) increased monoamine turnover in a region-specific manner in male offspring ( < 0.05). Overall, prenatal exposure to BPA, DEHP, or their combination alters monoamine levels in a brain region-specific, sex-specific, and dose-dependent manner, which could have implications for their behavioral and neuroendocrine effects.

Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A and/or Diethylhexyl Phthalate Impacts Brain Monoamine Levels in Rat Offspring.

Women are at increased risk for mood disorders, which may be partly attributed to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during sensitive periods such as pregnancy. Exposure during these times can impact brain development in the offspring, potentially leading to mood disorders in later life. Additionally, fluctuating levels of endogenous estrogens, as seen during pregnancy, or the use of oral contraceptives, can further elevate this risk. This study examines the cumulative effects of prenatal EDC exposure combined with chronic low-dose 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment in adulthood on neurobehavioral outcomes.

Prenatal bisphenol A and/or diethylhexyl phthalate exposure followed by adult estradiol treatment affects behavior and brain monoamines in female rat offspring.

Article	Year
The rabies virus glycoprotein determines the distribution of different rabies virus strains in the brain. Journal of neurovirology\| PubMed ID: 12161819	2002
Chronic estrogen exposure affects gene expression in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of young and aging rats: Possible role in hypertension. Brain research\| PubMed ID: 26375620	2015
Chronic exposure to low doses of estradiol-17ß increases blood pressure in young female rats: A possible role for central Endothelin-1. Scientific reports\| PubMed ID: 28273940	2017
Chronic estrogen affects TIDA neurons through IL-1β and NO: effects of aging. The Journal of endocrinology\| PubMed ID: 30400030	2019
Responsiveness of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to leptin is impaired in diet-induced obese rats. Nutrition & diabetes\| PubMed ID: 30886140	2019
Metformin effectively restores the HPA axis function in diet-induced obese rats. International journal of obesity (2005)\| PubMed ID: 32951009	2021
Independent and combined effects of Bisphenol A and Diethylhexyl Phthalate on gestational outcomes and offspring development in Sprague-Dawley rats. Chemosphere\| PubMed ID: 33297244	2021
Prenatal exposure to bisphenols affects pregnancy outcomes and offspring development in rats. Chemosphere\| PubMed ID: 33714148	2021
Evaluation of the Central Effects of Systemic Lentiviral-Mediated Leptin Delivery in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats. International journal of molecular sciences\| PubMed ID: 34947993	2021
Branched-Chain Amino Acids Are Linked with Alzheimer's Disease-Related Pathology and Cognitive Deficits. Cells\| PubMed ID: 36359919	2022
Role of cytokines and reactive oxygen species in brain aging. Mechanisms of ageing and development\| PubMed ID: 37541628	2023
Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A and/or diethylhexyl phthalate alters stress responses in rat offspring in a sex- and dose-dependent manner. Frontiers in toxicology\| PubMed ID: 38152552	2023
Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A and/or Diethylhexyl Phthalate Impacts Brain Monoamine Levels in Rat Offspring. Journal of xenobiotics\| PubMed ID: 39189173	2024
Prenatal bisphenol A and/or diethylhexyl phthalate exposure followed by adult estradiol treatment affects behavior and brain monoamines in female rat offspring. Frontiers in endocrinology\| PubMed ID: 39839474	2024

Puliyur S. MohanKumar

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