title: Minocycline reduces neuroinflammation but does not ameliorate neuron loss in a mouse model of neurodegeneration.
abstract: Minocycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic. A number of preclinical studies have shown that minocycline exhibits neuroprotective effects in various animal models of neurological diseases. However, it remained unknown whether minocycline is effective to prevent neuron loss. To systematically evaluate its effects, minocycline was used to treat Dicer conditional knockout (cKO) mice which display age-related neuron loss. The drug was given to mutant mice prior to the occurrence of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and the treatment had lasted 2 months. Levels of inflammation markers, including glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule1 (Iba1) and interleukin6 (IL6), were significantly reduced in minocycline-treated Dicer cKO mice. In contrast, levels of neuronal markers and the total number of apoptotic cells in Dicer cKO mice were not affected by the drug. In summary, inhibition of neuroinflammation by minocycline is insufficient to prevent neuron loss and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Jinxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Congyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, 330031, China.
authors.forename: Huahong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, 321 Zhongshan Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, China.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Model Animal Research Center, MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Nanjing University, 12 Xuefu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210061, China.
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008911:Minocycline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C491049:Aif1 protein, mouse; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; C509781:Dicer1 protein, mouse; D043244:Ribonuclease III; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases; D008911:Minocycline