Agmatine prevents LPS-induced spatial memory impairment and hippocampal apoptosis.
Neuroinflammation is associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. It is known that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment induces neuroinflammation and memory deterioration. Agmatine, the metabolite of arginine by arginine decarboxylase, is suggested to be a neuroprotective agent. The aim of this study was to explore if agmatine can prevent LPS-induced spatial memory impairment and hippocampal apoptosis. Adult male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were trained in water maze for 4 days (3 days in hidden platform and the last day in visible platform task). Saline, LPS (250 microg/kg/ip) or (and) agmatine (5 or 10 mg/kg) were administered 4h before every training session. LPS treatment impaired water maze place learning while agmatine co-administration prevented it. Also western blot studies revealed that LPS induces hippocampal caspase-3 activation while agmatine treatment prevented it.
Zarifkar
Asadollah
A
Neuroscience Research Center and department of Physiology, Shiraz University of Medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Choopani
Samira
S
Ghasemi
Rasoul
R
Naghdi
Nasser
N
Maghsoudi
Amir Hossein
AH
Maghsoudi
Nader
N
Rastegar
Karim
K
Moosavi
Maryam
M
D000376:Agmatine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D000376:Agmatine