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The role of aging and stress in autophagy
Čechová, Kateřina ; Vrajová, Monika (advisor) ; Valeš, Karel (referee)
Autophagy is a nonspecific catabolic mechanism, important for maintaining the cellular homeostasis. Stress condition can increase the activity and support the cell survival. It is well known that normal and pathological aging are associated with a reduced autophagic potential and that experimental induction of autophagy leads to higher longevity of certain model organisms. This decreasing may be facilitated by other factors, such as chronic stress. Higher age and chronic stress are two factors contributing to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, in this context the mechanism of autophagy is now actively studied. We wanted to know if and how the combination of these two factors may influence the activity of autophagy. In our study, we investigated the role of aging and chronic stress, induced by social isolation in Wistar rats at the age of 6 (N= 16) and 12 (N= 16) months. The animals in experimental groups were separated in the individual cages for 4 weeks. Control groups animals were housed in the pair. We measured the markers of autophagy expression (Beclin-1, LC3-II, mTOR) in the hippocampus and striatum of socially isolated and control groups animals. We measured the expression of NMDA receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A, NR2B) in the hippocampus of the same animals. Our results showed that older...
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Role of NMDA NR1 subunit in pathophysiology of schizophrenia
Vrajová, Monika ; Horáček, Jiří (advisor) ; Blahoš, Jaroslav (referee) ; Vyklický, Ladislav (referee)
Our work is focused on the role of NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In animal model using separately or in combination, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (aODN) for NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit of NMDAR, we affected expression of these proteins in rat hippocampus. We assessed prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reaction (PPI) in rats and protein expression of NMDAR subunits and expression of PSD proteins. There were significant differences in expression of PSD-95 and NR1 between groups. Application of aODN (NR2A, NR2B) was associated with a significant decrease of PSD-95. PPI and expression of NR2A, NR2B and PSD-93 were not changed after aODN application.The next part of the work concentrates on a human post mortem study. To assess actual changes in the expression of the NR1 subunit and its isoforms, we measured absolute differences in the levels of mRNA/protein for panNR1, as well as the individual mRNA/protein isoforms in the post mortem left/right hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia in comparison with non-psychiatric subjects. There were no significant differences in the panNR1 subunit mRNA expression, but the absolute left/right differences were much more pronounced in the patients with schizophrenia. The expression of splice variants in the...
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Role of NMDA NR1 subunit in pathophysiology of schizophrenia
Vrajová, Monika
Our work is focused on the role of NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In animal model using separately or in combination, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (aODN) for NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit of NMDAR, we affected expression of these proteins in rat hippocampus. We assessed prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reaction (PPI) in rats and protein expression of NMDAR subunits and expression of PSD proteins. There were significant differences in expression of PSD-95 and NR1 between groups. Application of aODN (NR2A, NR2B) was associated with a significant decrease of PSD-95. PPI and expression of NR2A, NR2B and PSD-93 were not changed after aODN application.The next part of the work concentrates on a human post mortem study. To assess actual changes in the expression of the NR1 subunit and its isoforms, we measured absolute differences in the levels of mRNA/protein for panNR1, as well as the individual mRNA/protein isoforms in the post mortem left/right hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia in comparison with non-psychiatric subjects. There were no significant differences in the panNR1 subunit mRNA expression, but the absolute left/right differences were much more pronounced in the patients with schizophrenia. The expression of splice variants in the...
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Inflammation as a mechanism of neuropsychiatric disorders and role of physical activity.
Hlaváček, Vojtěch ; Stuchlík, Aleš (advisor) ; Vrajová, Monika (referee)
Psychiatric disorders are becoming an increasing problem and possess a socio-economic burden on societies worldwide. There has been an association between inflammation and psychiatric disorders for some time now, but the causal relationships and mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Better understanding of those mechanisms could help us in dividing patients into different mechanistic subtypes which could react differently to a treatment. That way we could prescribe the most effective treatment depending on the mechanism involved. Inflammation is sensitizing an individual to react in more pro-inflammatory fashion to a stressor leading to chronically inflamed states. This is something that we can observe in an array of mechanisms, which creates many positive inflammatory feedback loops. Those feedback loops are very hard to interrupt, because they reinforce each other, plus the immune system is overreacting to subsequent stressor creating a vicious cycle. This could potentially lead to development of neurodegenerative diseases. As it turns out, physical activity acts on several of those mechanisms involved in inflammatory feedback loops at the same time, making it an ideal prevention/treatment candidate. It plays a huge role in regulation of inflammation in anti-inflammatory manner and might be...
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The role of aging and stress in autophagy
Čechová, Kateřina ; Vrajová, Monika (advisor) ; Valeš, Karel (referee)
Autophagy is a nonspecific catabolic mechanism, important for maintaining the cellular homeostasis. Stress condition can increase the activity and support the cell survival. It is well known that normal and pathological aging are associated with a reduced autophagic potential and that experimental induction of autophagy leads to higher longevity of certain model organisms. This decreasing may be facilitated by other factors, such as chronic stress. Higher age and chronic stress are two factors contributing to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, in this context the mechanism of autophagy is now actively studied. We wanted to know if and how the combination of these two factors may influence the activity of autophagy. In our study, we investigated the role of aging and chronic stress, induced by social isolation in Wistar rats at the age of 6 (N= 16) and 12 (N= 16) months. The animals in experimental groups were separated in the individual cages for 4 weeks. Control groups animals were housed in the pair. We measured the markers of autophagy expression (Beclin-1, LC3-II, mTOR) in the hippocampus and striatum of socially isolated and control groups animals. We measured the expression of NMDA receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A, NR2B) in the hippocampus of the same animals. Our results showed that older...
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Autophagy as a biochemical phenomenon of neurodegeneration
Čechová, Kateřina ; Vrajová, Monika (advisor) ; Žurmanová, Jitka (referee)
Autophagy is a nonspecific catabolic process which targets damaged organelles, proteins and intracellular pathogens. Autophagy becomes less efficient with normal and also with accelerated aging. Electron microscopy studies on brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease provide evidence that autophagy is involved in the neurodegenerative process. Stimulation of autophagy has a neuroprotective effect and help to degrade changed or aggregated proteins.
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Role of NMDA NR1 subunit in pathophysiology of schizophrenia
Vrajová, Monika
Our work is focused on the role of NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In animal model using separately or in combination, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (aODN) for NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit of NMDAR, we affected expression of these proteins in rat hippocampus. We assessed prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reaction (PPI) in rats and protein expression of NMDAR subunits and expression of PSD proteins. There were significant differences in expression of PSD-95 and NR1 between groups. Application of aODN (NR2A, NR2B) was associated with a significant decrease of PSD-95. PPI and expression of NR2A, NR2B and PSD-93 were not changed after aODN application.The next part of the work concentrates on a human post mortem study. To assess actual changes in the expression of the NR1 subunit and its isoforms, we measured absolute differences in the levels of mRNA/protein for panNR1, as well as the individual mRNA/protein isoforms in the post mortem left/right hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia in comparison with non-psychiatric subjects. There were no significant differences in the panNR1 subunit mRNA expression, but the absolute left/right differences were much more pronounced in the patients with schizophrenia. The expression of splice variants in the...
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Cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and animal models of the disease
Svojanovská, Barbora ; Stuchlík, Aleš (advisor) ; Vrajová, Monika (referee)
Cognitive deficit is a characteristic symptom of schizophrenia, which occurs in most of the cases. We can use animal models for better understanding of schizophrenia and to find possible treatment. As subjects of animal models are often used rats and mice, which can be administered various drugs (used to treat schizophrenia), or newly synthesized substances. The final effect is observed in different conditions. By blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D- aspartate), dopamine and serotonin receptors, we can model cognitive deficit. Thanks to the lesion in a particular area of the brain, specific parts involved in the deficit can be detected. The cognitive functions are often associated with hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. This thesis describes a theories of development of schizophrenia and relevant animal models. It also shows that research of cognitive deficits using animal models facilitates the development of appropriate drugs without adverse side effects. Key words: schizophrenia, animal models, cognitive deficit, memory, attention, spatial navigation
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Role of NMDA NR1 subunit in pathophysiology of schizophrenia
Vrajová, Monika ; Horáček, Jiří (advisor) ; Blahoš, Jaroslav (referee) ; Vyklický, Ladislav (referee)
Our work is focused on the role of NR1 subunit of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In animal model using separately or in combination, antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (aODN) for NR1, NR2A and NR2B subunit of NMDAR, we affected expression of these proteins in rat hippocampus. We assessed prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reaction (PPI) in rats and protein expression of NMDAR subunits and expression of PSD proteins. There were significant differences in expression of PSD-95 and NR1 between groups. Application of aODN (NR2A, NR2B) was associated with a significant decrease of PSD-95. PPI and expression of NR2A, NR2B and PSD-93 were not changed after aODN application.The next part of the work concentrates on a human post mortem study. To assess actual changes in the expression of the NR1 subunit and its isoforms, we measured absolute differences in the levels of mRNA/protein for panNR1, as well as the individual mRNA/protein isoforms in the post mortem left/right hippocampus of patients with schizophrenia in comparison with non-psychiatric subjects. There were no significant differences in the panNR1 subunit mRNA expression, but the absolute left/right differences were much more pronounced in the patients with schizophrenia. The expression of splice variants in the...
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