Transcript Document
Using the FST to Correlate Depressive-Like Behavior and Estrogen Levels in Three Strains of Mice Kunwal Nasrullah Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons D. Toran-Allerand M.D., Sc.D. Imam Nethrapalli, PhD Key Terms Depression-“symptoms meeting established clinical threshold criteria for depression as measured by validated questionnaires or standardized psychiatric interviews”¹ vs. depressive-like behavior Forced Swimming Test (FST)-a behavior test that serves as a rodent model for depressive-like symptoms in humans. Estrogens- 17β-estradiol vs. 17α-estradiol Mice strains: BALB/c, 129/SvEv, and c57BL/6J Intact vs. Ovariectomized (OVX) vs. Adrenalectomized (ADRX) What I do… I am a double-blind scorer of mice FST conducted by my co-mentor, Imam Nethrapalli. Our ongoing project is to test the hypothesis that 17α-estradiol is produced locally in the brain and that it has antidepressant activities in mice. What I see… Computer Image of FST http://62.193.209.148/en/content.php?content.66 http://www.biobserve.com/products/fst/acquisition_movie.html Things that I look for… During an FST scoring, three actions can be observed: swimming climbing/scratching along the sides of the container floating/immobility: no active movement HINT: The surface of the water is a good indicator of movement or immobility. Possible Results My results can help to validate previous findings of my mentor. It is also possible that my results will negate the findings of my mentor. In either case, it is necessary to certify the antidepressant effects of 17α-estradiol in mice. These results will be used in a paper. Future Plans Open Field Test I will continue to score the FST relevant to the study and learn lab techniques related to these behavior studies. We will add results of an Open Field Test (a 3-by-3 feet square made of melamine which allows researchers to gauge the anxiety of mice and rats) to the results of the FST to support the lab’s work. http://www.biochemj.org/bj/389/0593/bj3890593f01.gif References (2007). Bioserve: solutions for your science. Retrieved August 2, 2007 from http://www.biobserve.com/products/fst/acquisition_movie.html. (2006). Cheshire wildlife trust. Retrieved August 2, 2007 from http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/cheshire/IMAGES/watch_harvest_mice.jpg. ¹ Frasure-Smith N, Lesperance F, Talajic M, et al. Depression following myocardial infarction. Impact on 6month survival. JAMA. 1993;270:1819–25. Porsolt et al., 1978 R.D. Porsolt, G. Anton, N. Blavet and M. Jalfre, Behavioural despair in rats: a new model sensitive to antidepressant treatments, European Journal of Pharmacology. 47 (1978), pp. 379–391. Toran-Allerand CD, Tinnikov AA, Singh RJ, Nethrapalli IS. 2005. 17alpha-estradiol: a brain-active estrogen? Endocrinology, 146:3843–3850. van Meer, P., & Raber, J. (2005). Mouse behavioral analysis in systems biology. Biochemical journal, 389. Retrieved August 1, 2007, from http://www.biochemj.org/bj/389/0593/bj3890593.htm. Villalba, Shannon. (2005). The behavior core. Retrieved August 1, 2007 from http://www.psychiatry.uc.edu/BehaviorCore/HTML/openfield.html. Acknowledgments Dr. Sat HCS HCS staff Dr. Toran-Allerand Dr. Imam Nethrapalli Caitlin Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons MSKCC And you!