Characterization of BDNF expression and anxiety-related behavior in pilocarpine model mice.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500446
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: ITAKURA Makoto 北里大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30398581)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): FUKAYA Masahiro 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (10360900) ; IHARA Hideshi 大阪府立大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (60254447)
• Research Collaborator: TAKAHASHI Masami 北里大学, 医学部, 教授 (10318826) ; YAMAMORI Saori 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (30464803) ; SUGAYA Tsukiko 北里大学, 医学部, 技術員 ; NAGATA Etsuko 北里大学, 医学部, 技術員
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 脳神経栄養因子 / 不安障害 / ピロカルピン / 海馬 / ELISA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In modern society, excessive stress has often been known to cause anxiety disorders. For the understanding of neurobiological mechanisms of anxiety and anxiety disorders, animal models will be useful. In this study, we investigated behavioral, biochemical and histological alterations of the pilocarpine model mice exhibiting anxiety-like behavior.
Among various neural proteins tested, only the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was changed in parallel with expression of the anxiety-related behavior. In situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that the pilocarpine model mice increase expression of BDNF mRNA in CA3 pyramidal cells and dentate gyrus granule cells of the hippocampus. Our results suggest that BDNF signaling may concern the induction of the anxiety-related-behavior in the pilocarpine model mice. In addition, the establishment of a high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of proBDNF and mature BDNF was also performed.

Free Research Field

神経化学