title: Motor and memory testing of long-lived pregnancy-associated plasma protein--a knock-out mice.
abstract: Mice deficient in pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), an IGF binding protein protease, have been shown to be resistant to experimentally induced atherosclerosis and diabetic nephropathy, and, in the laboratory environment, live 30-40% longer than wild-type littermates in association with delayed incidence and occurrence of age-related neoplasms and degenerative diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  PAPP-A is highly expressed in the cerebellum and hippocampus of the mouse brain. Therefore, the studies presented here were aimed at determining motor behavior, learning and retention in PAPP-A knock-out (KO) mice compared to wild-type (WT) littermates with age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Balance and coordination were assessed using an accelerating rotarod; learning and memory were assessed in a Stone T-maze.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time on the rotarod decreased with age but there was no significant difference between PAPP-A KO and WT mice at any of the testing ages. Latency to reach the goal box and number of errors committed in the Stone T-maze did not change with age and there were no significant differences between PAPP-A KO and WT mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lack of PAPP-A in mice did not impact central regulation of coordination, learning or memory.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, 5-194 Joseph, Rochester, MN55905, USA. Electronic address: Emily.mason.1@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, 5-194 Joseph, Rochester, MN55905, USA. Electronic address: grell.jacquelyn@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Jacquelyn A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grell
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, 5-194 Joseph, Rochester, MN55905, USA. Electronic address: west.sally1@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Sally A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, 5-194 Joseph, Rochester, MN55905, USA. Electronic address: Conover.Cheryl@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Cheryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Conover
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000502:physiology*; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test
chemical_list: D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A
keywords: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A; Rotarod; Stone T-maze