Abstract:
Objective To investigate the effects of aluminum chloride(AlCl3), which was administrated by lateral cerebral ventricle injection, on spacial learning and memory in apoE knock out mice, as well as their expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor-subtype 1(mGluR1).
Methods After being successfully trained by step through test, step down test and morris water maze(MWM), 16 mice were evenly and randomly divided into 2 groups:control group and exposed group. Mice in the latter group were treated with 0.5% AlCl3 by lateral ventricle injection for 5 d, 3μL/d, while the controls were treated with normal saline in the same volume as the exposed group. Cognitive ability was evaluated by step through test, step down test and MWM on the 15th day after Al treatment for 5 d. Cerebral cortex was taken from the mice on 20th day after 5 d Al treatment. mGluR1 in cytoplasm was detected by western-blot, images were collected respectively by gelatum analyzing system and scanner. Data were analyzed by the gelatum analyzing system.
Results ① Latent period of step down test and step through test in the exposed group were significantly decreased(P < 0.05), the error count was significantly increased in the second day(P < 0.05)compared with the control group. In MWM the time of place navigation was significantly increaseed(P < 0.05), and the time of spatial probe was significantly shortened(P < 0.05)compared with the control group. ② The expression of mGluR1 was significantly decreased in the 0.5% AlCl3 exposed group compared with the control group(P < 0.05).
Conclusion The learning and memory ability and the expression of mGluR1 in apoE knock out mice are decreased obviously by AlCl3 lateral ventricle injection.