Effect of topiramate on apoptosis-related protein expression of hippocampus in model rats with Alzheimers disease.
OBJECTIVE
Alzheimer's disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disease and a synaptic function defect disease, the clinical symptoms are mainly progressive cognitive impairment, affecting patient's social function. Aim of this report was to investigate the effect of topiramate on apoptosis-related protein expression (Bcl-2, Survivin, Fas, Bax and Caspase-3) in the hippocampus of a rat model with Alzheimers Disease (AD).


METHODS
Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group and a test group. A dose of amyloid beta-protein 1-40 (Aβ1-40) was injected into the hippocampus of the rats in the model and test groups, and the control rats are injected with same amount of saline. After AD model was successfully established, the rats in each group were administrated with an i.p. injection of topiramate (20 mg/kg/d) for 30 days. The effect of topiramate on the apoptosis-related protein levels in hippocampus neurons was studied by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The number of Bcl-2 and Survivin positive cells and optical density in hippocampus of rats in test group was more than those of rats in model groups, but less than those of rats in control group (p < 0.01); Fas, Bax and Caspase-3 positive cells and optical density in hippocampus of rats in test group was less than those of rats in the model group, but more than those of rats in control group (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Alzheimer's disease can induce apoptosis of hippocampus neurons in rats. Topiramate can prevent apoptosis of hippocampus neurons, at least in part, by increasing expression of Bcl-2 and Survivin and decreasing expression of Fas, Bax and Caspase-3.
Department of Neurology, Hospital of Yangtze University, Hubei, China. 5298856@qq.com  
X-L
XL
Cheng
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MK
Li
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005632:Fructose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077022:Survivin; D000077236:Topiramate; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C516989:Birc5 protein, rat; C491898:Fas protein, rat; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000077022:Survivin; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; D000077236:Topiramate; D005632:Fructose; D053148:Caspase 3