A Novel Rattin Expression in The Brain of The Rat Model of Patients' Vascular Dementia

In clinics, the specific mechanism of vascular dementia (VD) was also elusive. So we established VD rat model and explored the pathogenicity. To investigate the effects of Rattin expression in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of rat's model with vascular VD induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, the rat model of vascular dementia was constructed by permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). The cognitive impairment was measured by Morris water maze. The morphological changes of neurons in cortex of hippocampus and temporal lobe were observed by Nissl staining. Rattin mRNA and protein expression in the hippocampus, occipital and temporal lobes of the rat model of vascular dementia were measured by real-time PCR and western blot respectively. Morris water maze showed that the behavioral function was damaged in the rats with BCCAO. The morphology of neurons in cortex of hippocampus and temporal lobe was damaged. Rattin mRNA and protein expression increased significantly in hippocampus, but not changed obviously in temporal and occipital lobes. In conclusion, the high expression levels of Rattin protein in hippocampus might be associated with cognitive impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and might be a neuroprotective response, which showed the important role of Rattin in patients with vascular dementia.