Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder characterized by the development of insulin resistance, with subsequent hyperinsulinemia, that increases the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is probably a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia and is associated with impaired cognitive function. The obese Zucker rat (OZR) represents a model of type 2 diabetes exhibiting a moderate degree of arterial hypertension and hyperlipidemia. To clarify the possible relationships between MetS and brain damage, the present study has investigated brain microanatomy of OZRs compared with their littermate controls lean Zucker rats (LZRs). Male OZRs and LZRs of 12 weeks of age were used. Their brain was processed for analysis of nerve cell number by neuronal specific nuclear protein (NeuN) immunohistochemistry and phosphorylated neurofilament (NFP) immunoreactive axons analysis. The possible occurrence of astrogliosis was investigated by processing brains for immunohistochemical analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In frontal cortex and hippocampus of OZRs reduced number of neurons was related to a decrease of Neu-N expression compared to LZRs. A significant increase in the size and number of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes was also observed. These findings suggest that OZRs developed as an animal model of type 2 diabetes, may also represent a model for assessing the influence of MetS on brain. This could clarify the pathophysiology of neurological injury reported in obese individuals and/or affected by MetS .
BRAIN MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF OBESE ZUCKER RAT: MODEL OF METABOLIC SYNDROME.
TOMASSONI, Daniele;GABRIELLI, Maria Gabriella;TAYEBATI, Seyed Khosrow;AMENTA, Francesco
2013-01-01
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder characterized by the development of insulin resistance, with subsequent hyperinsulinemia, that increases the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is probably a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia and is associated with impaired cognitive function. The obese Zucker rat (OZR) represents a model of type 2 diabetes exhibiting a moderate degree of arterial hypertension and hyperlipidemia. To clarify the possible relationships between MetS and brain damage, the present study has investigated brain microanatomy of OZRs compared with their littermate controls lean Zucker rats (LZRs). Male OZRs and LZRs of 12 weeks of age were used. Their brain was processed for analysis of nerve cell number by neuronal specific nuclear protein (NeuN) immunohistochemistry and phosphorylated neurofilament (NFP) immunoreactive axons analysis. The possible occurrence of astrogliosis was investigated by processing brains for immunohistochemical analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In frontal cortex and hippocampus of OZRs reduced number of neurons was related to a decrease of Neu-N expression compared to LZRs. A significant increase in the size and number of GFAP immunoreactive astrocytes was also observed. These findings suggest that OZRs developed as an animal model of type 2 diabetes, may also represent a model for assessing the influence of MetS on brain. This could clarify the pathophysiology of neurological injury reported in obese individuals and/or affected by MetS .I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
