Single-prolonged stress induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in hippocampus in the rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related mental disorder caused by experience of a traumatic event, and presents with characteristic symptoms including intrusive memories, hyperarousal, and avoidance. Recently, structural neuroimaging studies showed that hippocampal volumes were relatively low in PTSD patients. However, the mechanisms that cause such atrophy are not well understood. The aim of this study was to reveal the possible mechanisms involved in apoptosis induced by single-prolonged stress (SPS) in hippocampus of PTSD rats. SPS is one of the animal models proposed for PTSD. Rats exposure to SPS showed enhanced inhibition of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which has been reliably reproduced in patients with PTSD. Wistar rats were killed at 1, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days after exposure to SPS. Expression of caspase-9, caspase-3, cytochrome c, Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting and electron microscopy. Apoptotic cells were assessed by TUNEL method. Our results showed apoptotic cells were significantly increased in hippocampus of SPS rats, accompanied by release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, increase of caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression and decrease of the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. The results indicate that SPS-induced apoptosis in hippocampus of PTSD rats, and the mitochondrial pathway was involved in the process of SPS-induced apoptosis.

Li XM ，Han F ，Liu DJ ，Shi YX ... -  《-》

Changes of Bax, Bcl-2 and apoptosis in hippocampus in the rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Li X ，Han F ，Liu D ，Shi Y ... -  《-》

Glucocorticoid receptor activation is involved in producing abnormal phenotypes of single-prolonged stress rats: a putative post-traumatic stress disorder model.

Kohda K ，Harada K ，Kato K ，Hoshino A ，Motohashi J ，Yamaji T ，Morinobu S ，Matsuoka N ，Kato N ... -  《NEUROSCIENCE》

Single-prolonged stress induces apoptosis in the amygdala in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ding J ，Han F ，Shi Y 《-》

Changes in integrin αv, vinculin and connexin43 in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats under single-prolonged stress.

Li Y ，Han F ，Shi Y 《-》