Authors: Bunmi Ojo Paul L Gabbott Payam Rezaie Nicola Corbett Nikolay I Medvedev Thelma R Cowley Marina A Lynch Michael G Stewart
Publish Date: 2012/10/18
Volume: 38, Issue: 6, Pages: 1208-1218
Abstract
The neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM is ubiquitously expressed within the CNS and has roles in development cognition neural plasticity and regulation of the immune system NCAM is thus potentially an important pharmacological target for treatment of brain diseases A cell adhesion mimetic FGL a 15 aminoacid peptide derived from the second fibronectin typeIII module of NCAM has been shown to act as a neuroprotective agent in experimental disease and ageing models restoring hippocampal/cognitive function and markedly alleviating deleterious changes in the CNS However the effects of FGL on the hippocampus of young healthy rats are unknown The present study has examined the cellular neurobiological consequences of subcutaneous injections of FGL on hippocampal cell morphometry in young 4 monthold rats We determined the effects of FGL on hippocampal volume pyramidal neuron number/density using unbiased quantitative stereology and examined aspects of neurogenesis using 2D morphometric analyses FGL treatment reduced total volume of the dorsal hippocampus associated with a decrease in total pyramidal neuron numbers in CA1 and CA3 and elevated the number of doublecortin immunolabeled neurons in the dentate gyrus indicating a likely influence on neurogenesis in young healthy rats These data indicate that FGL has a specific age dependent effect on the hippocampus differing according to the development and maturity of the CNS
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