title: Brain aging and AD-like pathology in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Numerous epidemiological studies have linked diabetes mellitus (DM) with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether or not diabetic encephalopathy shows AD-like pathology remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forebrain and hippocampal volumes were measured using stereology in serial coronal sections of the brain in streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced rats. Neurodegeneration in the frontal cortex, hypothalamus, and hippocampus was evaluated using Fluoro-Jade C (FJC). Aβ aggregation in the frontal cortex and hippocampus was tested using immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Dendritic spine density in the frontal cortex and hippocampus was measured using Golgi staining, and western blot was conducted to detect the levels of synaptophysin. Cognitive ability was evaluated through the Morris water maze and inhibitory avoidant box.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats are characterized by insulin deficiency accompanied with polydipsia, polyphagia, polyuria, and weight loss after STZ injection. The number of FJC-positive cells significantly increased in discrete brain regions of the diabetic rats compared with the age-matched control rats. Hippocampal atrophy, Aβ aggregation, and synapse loss were observed in the diabetic rats compared with the control rats. The learning and memory of the diabetic rats decreased compared with those of the age-matched control rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that aberrant metabolism induced brain aging as characterized by AD-like pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department and Blood Dialysis Center, Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Lang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: De-Gui
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China ; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China ; Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013311:Streptozocin; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016708:Synaptophysin; C569016:Syp protein, rat; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D013311:Streptozocin