title: Aminoguanidine changes hippocampal expression of apoptosis-related genes, improves passive avoidance learning and memory in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: Cognitive dysfunction occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to examine whether bilateral intrahippocampal CA1 (intra-CA1) injection of aminoguanidine (AG) can either affect the Bcl-2 family gene expression or reduce the diabetic imposing abnormalities of passive avoidance learning (PAL) and memory. Rats were divided into five groups: control (C), control treated with normal saline (CS), control treated with AG (S-AG), diabetics (D), and diabetics treated with AG (D-AG). Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (50 mg/kg). AG (30 μg/rat) or vehicle was administered intra-CA1 bilaterally at the onset of hyperglycemia. PAL was assessed 7 weeks later. Animals were killed, and hippocampus was dissected following the behavioral test. The expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xl mRNAs were measured using semiquantitative RT-PCR technique. The result of passive avoidance task showed that AG significantly improved the cognitive performance in diabetic rats. Moreover, AG treatment decreased the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expressions in diabetic group. The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and Bax/Bcl-xL decreased significantly in AG-treated diabetic animals. In conclusion, initial treatment with AG by intra-CA1 micro-injection improves the impaired passive avoidance task in STZ-induced diabetic rats which may be related to the decreased Bax/Bcl-2 and Bax/Bcl-xL ratios.
authors: Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors: Maryam Arab
authors: MA
authors: Firouzjaei
authors: Mohammad Reza
authors: MR
authors: Jafari
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Eskandari
authors: Iraj Jafari
authors: IJ
authors: Anarkoli
authors: Mohsen
authors: M
authors: Alipour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D006146:Guanidines; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C004479:pimagedine