D-galactose injured neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult mice.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the effects of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) on neural progenitor cell proliferation and survival in the dentate gyrus (DG).


METHODS
The adult mice were treated with D-galactose for 7 weeks to mimic natural aging in mice. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the serum were detected. Neurodegeneration and neurogenesis in the hippocampus were explored using terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated UTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) to detect the dying cells and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was used to label the newly born cells.


RESULTS
After the treatment of D-galactose, the level of MDA increased and the activities of the antioxidant enzyme decreased in the serum. TUNEL-positive cells significantly increased in the DG, CA1 and CA3 subfields. The BrdU-labeled proliferating cells and surviving cells in the DG decreased significantly in number after D-galactose treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
D-Galactose induced the impairment of neurogenesis in the DG, which is similar to natural aging in mice. ROS accumulation as a result of D-galactose may be related to the decrease of neurogenesis in the DG.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College and Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Qing
Q
Zhang
Xuekun
X
Li
Xu
X
Cui
Pingping
P
Zuo
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005690:Galactose / Q000633:toxicity*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D005690:Galactose