Protective effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on aluminum-induced cerebral damage in Alzheimer's disease rat model

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 9671
• Main Authors: Lin, Wei-Ting, Chen, Ran-Chou, Lu, Wen-Wei, Liu, Shing-Hwa, Yang, Feng-Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 15.04.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/378; 639/166/985; 64/86; 82/80; Acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Aluminum; Aluminum - adverse effects; Aluminum chloride; Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer Disease - therapy; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; Animals; Blood-Brain Barrier - metabolism; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Brain - radiation effects; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Cerebral Cortex - drug effects; Cerebral Cortex - pathology; Cerebral Cortex - radiation effects; Chlorides; Cognitive ability; Disease Models, Animal; Enzyme Activation; Gene Expression; Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor; Hippocampus; Humanities and Social Sciences; Male; Memory; multidisciplinary; Nerve Growth Factors - genetics; Nerve Growth Factors - metabolism; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuronal-glial interactions; Neuroprotection; Neurotrophic factors; Permeability; Pycnosis; Rats; Rodents; Science; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic Waves; Ultrasound; Vascular endothelial growth factor; β-Amyloid
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep09671

The protein expressions of neurotrophic factors can be enhanced by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation in the brain. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the protective effect of LIPUS stimulation against aluminum-induced cerebral damage in Alzheimer's disease rat model. LIPUS was administered 7 days before each aluminum chloride (AlCl 3 ) administration and concomitantly given with AlCl 3 daily for a period of 6 weeks. Neurotrophic factors in hippocampus were measured by western blot analysis. Behavioral changes in the Morris water maze and elevated plus maze were examined in rats after administration of AlCl 3 . Various biochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the extent of brain damages. LIPUS is capable of prompting levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rat brain. AlCl 3 administration resulted in a significant increase in the aluminum concentration, acetylcholinesterase activity and beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition in AlCl 3 treated rats. LIPUS stimulation significantly attenuated aluminum concentration, acetylcholinesterase activity, Aβ deposition and karyopyknosis in AlCl 3 treated rats. Furthermore, LIPUS significantly improved memory retention in AlCl 3 -induced memory impairment. These experimental results indicate that LIPUS has neuroprotective effects against AlCl 3 -induced cerebral damages and cognitive dysfunction.