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Age-dependent differences in myelin basic protein expression in the hippocampus of young, adult and aged gerbils

Laboratory Animal Research volume 33, pages 237–243 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Myelin degeneration is one of the characteristics of aging and degenerative diseases. This study investigated age-related alterations in expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) in the hippocampal subregions (dentate gyrus, CA2/3 and CA1 areas) of gerbils of various ages; young (1 month), adult (6 months) and aged (24 months), using western blot and immunohistochemistry. Western blot results showed tendencies of age-related reductions of MBP levels. MBP immunoreactivity was significantly decreased with age in synaptic sites of trisynaptic loops, perforant paths, mossy fibers, and Schaffer collaterals. In particular, MBP immunoreactive fibers in the dentate molecular cell layer (perforant path) was significantly reduced in adult and aged subjects. In addition, MBP immunoreactive mossy fibers in the dentate polymorphic layer and in the CA3 striatum radiatum was significantly decreased in the aged group. Furthermore, we observed similar age-related alterations in the CA1 stratum radiatum (Schaffer collaterals). However, the density of MBP immunoreactive fibers in the dentate granular cell layer and CA stratum pyramidale was decreased with aging. These findings indicate that expression of MBP is age-dependent and tissue specific according to hippocampal layers.

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Author notes

  1. Ji Hyeon Ahn and Tae-Kyeong Lee have contributed equally to this article.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, 119 Dandaero, Cheonan, 31116, Korea

    Ji Hyeon Ahn & Joon Ha Park

  2. Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, 1 Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon, 24341, Korea

    Tae-Kyeong Lee, Jeong Hwi Cho, In Hye Kim, Jae Chul Lee & Moo-Ho Won

  3. Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea

    Seongkweon Hong

  4. Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Kangwon National University Hospital, Chuncheon, Korea

    Yong Hwan Jeon

  5. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea

    Il Jun Kang

  6. Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Hospital, College of Medicine, Sooncheonhyang University, Seoul, Korea

    Young Joo Lee

  7. Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, 119 Dandaero, Cheonan, 31116, Korea

    Choong-Hyun Lee

Authors
  1. Ji Hyeon Ahn
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  12. Choong-Hyun Lee
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Moo-Ho Won or Choong-Hyun Lee.

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Ahn, J.H., Lee, TK., Park, J.H. et al. Age-dependent differences in myelin basic protein expression in the hippocampus of young, adult and aged gerbils. Lab Anim Res 33, 237–243 (2017). https://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.3.237

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2017.33.3.237

Keywords

  • Myelin basic protein
  • aging
  • hippocampus
  • gerbil

Laboratory Animal Research

ISSN: 2233-7660