[The correlation between ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like signs in mice and the expressions of NRG1, ErbB4 mRNA].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the correlation between signs similar to schizophrenia in mice after ketamine administration and the expressions of NRG1 and ErbB4 mRNA in order to explain the possible pathogenesis of schizophrenia.


METHODS
Fifty KM mice were randomly divided into 5 groups which were administered intraperitoneally with saline, clozapine and different dosages ketamine. The ketamine groups were administered intraperitoneally with low dosage (25 mg/kg), middle dosage (50 mg/kg) and high dosage (100 mg/kg) one time every day for 7 days. After administration of 100 mg/kg ketamine for 7 days, the clozapine group was introgastrically administered 20 mg/kg with clozapine one time every day for 7 days. The pathological changes of hippocampus neurons were observed by HE stain. The expressions of the NRG1 and ErbB4 mRNA in hippocampus were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
In the group with high dosage of ketamine, the levels of NRG1 and ErbB4 mRNA were significantly lower than that of the group with saline.


CONCLUSIONS
Ketamine may induce signs similar to schizophrenia in KM mice. The mechanism may be involved in the reduction of NRG1 and ErbB4 mRNA expression.
Bian
Shi-Zhong
SZ
Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. bianshizhong@suda.edu.cn
Liu
Wei-Li
WL
Zhang
Zhi-Xiang
ZX
Gu
Zhen-Lun
ZL
Jiang
Xiao-Gang
XG
Guo
Ci-Yi
CY
D000818:Animals; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007649:Ketamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*
D020890:Neuregulin-1; C490581:Nrg1 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007649:Ketamine; D066246:ErbB Receptors; C587690:Erbb4 protein, mouse; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D003024:Clozapine