Effects of chronic scopolamine treatment on cognitive impairment and neurofilament expression in the mouse hippocampus

Lee,Jae‑Chul; Park,Joon Ha; Ahn,Ji Hyeon; Park,Jinseu; Kim,In Hye; Cho,Jeong Hwi; Shin,Bich Na; Lee,Tae‑Kyeong; Kim,Hyunjung; Song,Minah; Cho,Geum‑Sil; Kim,Dae Won; Kang,Il Jun; Kim,Young‑Myeong; Won,Moo‑Ho; Choi,Soo Young

doi:10.3892/mmr.2017.8082

Effects of chronic scopolamine treatment on cognitive impairment and neurofilament expression in the mouse hippocampus

Authors:
- Jae‑Chul Lee
- Joon Ha Park
- Ji Hyeon Ahn
- Jinseu Park
- In Hye Kim
- Jeong Hwi Cho
- Bich Na Shin
- Tae‑Kyeong Lee
- Hyunjung Kim
- Minah Song
- Geum‑Sil Cho
- Dae Won Kim
- Il Jun Kang
- Young‑Myeong Kim
- Moo‑Ho Won
- Soo Young Choi
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Affiliations: Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24341, Republic of Korea, Department of Biomedical Science, Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Republic of Korea, Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Shinpoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ansan, Gyeonggi 15610, Republic of Korea, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Dentistry, Kangnung‑Wonju National University, Gangneung, Gangwon 25457, Republic of Korea, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24252, Republic of Korea, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 24341, Republic of Korea
Published online on: November 15, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.8082
Pages: 1625-1632
Copyright: © Lee et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Neurofilaments (NFs) including neurofilament‑200 kDa (NF‑H), neurofilament‑165 kDa (NF‑M) and neurofilament‑68 kDa (NF‑L) are major protein constituents of the brain, and serve important roles in the regulation of axonal transport. NF alteration is a key feature in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders involving cognitive dysfunction. In the present study, cognitive impairments were investigated, via assessments using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests, in mice following chronic systemic treatment with 1 mg/kg scopolamine (SCO) for 4 weeks. SCO‑induced cognitive impairments were significantly observed 1 week following the SCO treatment, and these cognitive deficits were maintained for 4 weeks. However, the NF immunoreactivities and levels were altered differently according to the hippocampal subregion following SCO treatment. NF‑H immunoreactivity and levels were markedly altered in all hippocampal subregions, and were significantly increased 1 week following the SCO treatment; thereafter, the immunoreactivity and levels significantly decreased with time. NF‑M immunoreactivity and levels gradually decreased in the hippocampus and were significantly decreased 4 weeks following SCO treatment. NF‑L immunoreactivity and levels gradually decreased in the hippocampus, and were significantly decreased 2 and 4 weeks following SCO treatment. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that chronic systemic treatment with SCO induced cognitive impairment from 1 week following SCO treatment, and NF expression was diversely altered according to the hippocampal subregion from 1 week following SCO treatment. These results suggest that SCO‑induced changes in NF expression may be associated with cognitive impairment.

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