Project description:To investigate the beneficial effects of DHA (omega-3) on affecting fructose induced brain dysfunction and metabolic disorders by sequencing the methylome (RRBS) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of male SD rats.
Project description:To investigate the effects of HFD on affecting the DNA methylation, as well as the methylation inhibitor 5-AzaD reversing such effects in the frontal cortex of male SD rats by sequencing the methylome (RRBS).
Project description:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes hospitalizations and mortality worldwide with no approved neuroprotective treatments available, partly due to a poor understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying TBI neuropathology and neuroprotection. We previously reported that the administration of low-dose methamphetamine (MA) induced significant functional/cognitive improvements following severe TBI in rats. We further demonstrated that MA mediates neuroprotection in part, via dopamine-dependent activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Here, we further investigated the proteomic changes within the rat cortex and hippocampus following mild TBI (TM), severe TBI (TS), or severe TBI plus MA treatment (TSm) compared to sham operated controls (n=78 in total). We quantified >7,000 unique proteins in total and identified 402 and 801 altered proteins (APs) with high confidence in cortical and hippocampal tissues, respectively. The overall profile of APs observed in TSm rats more closely resembled those seen in TM rather than TS rats. Pathway analysis suggested beneficial roles for acute signaling through IL-6, TGFβ, and IL-1β. Moreover, changes in fibrinogen levels observed in TSm rats suggested a potential role for these proteins in reducing/preventing TBI-induced coagulopathies. These data facilitate further investigations to identify specific pathways and proteins that may serve as key targets for the development of neuroprotective therapies.
Project description:To investigate the effects of DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) on brain dysfunction and metabolic disorders by sequencing the transcriptome (RNA-Seq) and epigenome (RRBS) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of male SD rats.
Project description:TBI was induced with lateral fluid-percussion injury in adult male rats. Genome-wide RNA-seq of the perilesional cortex, ipsilateral thalamus and dorsal hippocampus was performed at 3 months post-TBI. The data highlighted chronic transcriptional changes, particularly, in the perilesional cortex and thalamus. Genes showing a significantly altered expression both in the cortex and thalamus were submitted to the LINCS web query to identify novel pharmacotherapies to improve post-TBI outcome.