Aim: In the present study, we aimed to explore the effect of d-galactose administration and epigallocatechin-3-gallatte (EGCG) on the dendritic trees of developing granule cells of the hippocampal formation (HF) of young male rats.
Introduction: The model of accelerated senescence with the administration of d-galactose is used in anti-aging studies. However, reports have questioned its effectiveness. To clarify this issue we used high-dose d-galactose on young rats and studied the immature granule cells stained with the neurogenesis marker doublecortin (DCX). We also used EGCG, a green tea catechin, to verify if there are neuroprotective effects in the d-galactose-treated animals.
Methods: At 4 weeks of age, male Wistar rats were allocated to a control group (n=7), a d-galactose group (300mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) (n=5; GAL) and to a d-galactose+EGCG (oral solution, 2 grams/L) group (n=5; gal+EGCG) during 4 weeks. After this period DCX immunocytochemistry was performed. The dendritic trees of immature granule cells were drawn with the aid of a camera lucida and a metric analysis of the dendritic segments of the dendritic trees was performed.
Results: No differences in all parameters quantified were found when controls and gal rats were compared. However, the results show that the total dendritic length of the dendritic trees of gal+EGCG rats was significantly reduced when compared with controls (p<0.03). There were no differences in the others dendritic parameters quantified.
Conclusion:d-Galactose did not induce disturbance of the neurogenesis as shown by the absence of alterations in the dendritic trees confirming our previous studies. Surprisingly, the addition of EGCG led to a reduced total dendritic length. This unexpected effect can be explained if we consider that the addition of the catechin acted as a second aggression leading to a disturbed dendritic tree of the immature neurons.
Acknowledgements: This article was supported by ERDF through the operation POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007746 funded by the Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização – COMPETE2020 and by National Funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia within CINTESIS, R&D Unit (reference UID/IC/4255/2013).