An analysis of neurovascular disease markers in the hippocampus of Tupaia chinensis at different growth stages

Abstract

IntroductionIt is considered thatTupaia chinensiscan replace laboratory primates in the study of nervous system diseases. To date, however, protein expression in the brain ofTupaia chinensishas not been fully understood.MethodThree age groups ofT. chinensis-15 days, 3 months and 1.5 years—were selected to study their hippocampal protein expression profiles.ResultsA significant difference was observed between the 15-day group and the other two age groups, where as there were no significant differences between the 3-month and 1.5-year age groups. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis found that differentially expressed proteins could be enriched in several pathways related to neurovascular diseases, such as metabolic pathways for Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other diseases. The KEGG enrichment also showed that relevant protein involved in oxidative phosphorylation in the hippocampus ofT. chinensisfor 15days were downregulated, and ribosomal proteins (RPs) were upregulated, compared to those in the hippocampus of the other two age groups.DiscussionIt was suggested that when the hippocampus ofT. chinensisdeveloped from day 15 to 3 months, the expression of oxidatively phosphorylated proteins and RPs would vary over time. Meanwhile, the hippocamppal protein expression profile ofT. chinensisafter 3 months had become stable. Moreover, the study underlines that, during the early development of the hippocampus ofT. chinensis, energy demand increases while protein synthesis decreases. The mitochondria ofT. chinensischanges with age, and the oxidative phosphorylation metabolic pathway of mitochondria is closely related to neurovascular diseases, such as stroke and cerebral ischemia.