title: Iron-induced neuronal damage in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that iron redistribution and deposition in the brain occurs in some neurodegenerative diseases, and oxidative damage due to abnormal iron level is a primary cause of neuronal death. In the present study, we used the single prolonged stress (SPS) model to mimic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and examined whether iron was involved in the progression of PTSD. The anxiety-like behaviors of the SPS group were assessed by the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field tests, and iron levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Expression of glucocorticoid receptors and transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) and ferritin (Fn) was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry in selected brain areas; TfR1 and Fn mRNA expression were detected by quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). Ultrastructures of the hippocampus were observed under a transmission electron microscope. Our results showed that SPS exposure induced anxiety-like symptoms and increased the level of serum cortisol and the concentration of iron in key brain areas such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and striatum. The stress induced region-specific changes in both protein and mRNA levels of TfR1 and Fn. Moreover, swelling mitochondria and cell apoptosis were observed in neurons in brain regions with iron accumulation. We concluded that SPS stress increased iron in some cognition-related brain regions and subsequently cause neuronal injury, indicating that the iron may function in the pathology of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China; Department of Medical Imaging, PLA No.324 Hospital, Chongqing 400020, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhibo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Chongqing Three Gorges Medical College, Chongqing 404100, PR China.
authors.forename: Xueling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Jingming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: YanGang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China. Electronic address: liihait@163.com.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China. Electronic address: zhangjqtmmu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jiqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; C545564:Tfrc protein, rat; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: cognition; ferritin; iron; post-traumatic stress disorder; transferrin receptor