Intrastrain differences in seizure susceptibility, pharmacological response and basal neurochemistry of Wistar rats.
Reliable well-characterised animal models of seizures are necessary in order to better understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms as well as to screen potential anticonvulsant drugs. We currently use the focal pilocarpine model as an acute limbic seizure model. Due to breeding problems at the vendor, and apparent changes in pilocarpine-induced seizure susceptibility, we were forced to change breeding locations and vendors over a period of 2 years. Male Wistar rats were either purchased from two breeding locations of Charles River Laboratories (France and Germany), or obtained from Harlan Laboratories (The Netherlands). In the present retrospective study we evaluated the impact of these vendor changes on ketamine dosing to establish anaesthesia, on pilocarpine-induced seizure susceptibility, and on basal extracellular hippocampal noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, gamma-amino butyric acid, and glutamate levels of all pilocarpine-treated rats included in our studies. Significant differences were present in all of the parameters analyzed. This study clearly illustrates that intrastrain differences do exist from one vendor/breeding location to another, or even between rats from the same breeding location.
Portelli
Jeanelle
J
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analysis & Drug Information, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Aourz
Najat
N
De Bundel
Dimitri
D
Meurs
Alfred
A
Smolders
Ilse
I
Michotte
Yvette
Y
Clinckers
Ralph
R
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D056148:Chromatography, Reverse-Phase; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D010862:Pilocarpine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D007649:Ketamine