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. 2014 Aug 21:20:130-7.
doi: 10.12659/MSMBR.891064.

Effects of YC-1 on learning and memory functions of aged rats

Ipek Komsuoglu Celikyurt  1 , Tijen Utkan  1 , Cuneyt Ozer  2 , Nejat Gacar  1 , Feyza Aricioglu  3
Affiliations

Effects of YC-1 on learning and memory functions of aged rats

Ipek Komsuoglu Celikyurt et al. Med Sci Monit Basic Res. .

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a potent nitric oxide-guanylate cyclase activator, 3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1), on learning and memory functions in aged rats.

Material and methods: Rats were divided into 2 groups as 4-month-old and 24-month-old rats. Rats received YC-1 (1 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks long-term. Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance (PA) tests were used to determine learning and memory functions.

Results: In the MWM test, there is a significant increase in the acquisition latency (1-4 days) of 24-month-old rats. There is a significant reduction in the "time spent in the escape platform's quadrant" in 24-month-old rats compared to 4-month-old rats in the probe trial of the MWM test. YC-1 treatment reversed the reduction of the "time spent in the escape platform's quadrant" of 24-month-old rats. In the PA test, there was no significant difference in the 1st-day latency of rats in all groups. On the 2nd day, retention latency significantly decreased in the 24-month-old rats compared to 4-month-olds. YC-1 reversed the diminished retention latency in 24-month-old rats. YC-1 treatment and aging did not affect results of the locomotor activity test or the foot-shock sensitivity test, suggesting our results were not due to a change in motor activity or disability of the animals.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that activation of the NO-sGC-cGMP pathway plays an important role in spatial and emotional learning and memory functions in aged rats.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Latency (s) to find the platform of 4-month-old, DMSO-4-month-old, 24-month-old, DMSO-24-month-old, and 24-month-old+YC-1 rats in the MWM test. ## There is a significant reduction in the latency of 4-month-old rats (1-way ANOVA, Day 1 vs. Day 4, p: 0.0023 F(3,36)=5.838). *, **, *** 24-month-old rats had an increase in their acquisition latency compared to 4-month-old rats (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.01 and p<0.001) and 24-month-old rats treated with YC-1 (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.01 and p<0.01).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Time spent in the escape platform quadrant (s) of 4-month-old, DMSO-4-month-old, 24-month-old, DMSO-24-month-old, and YC-1+24-month-old groups in probe trial of MWM test. *** Retention latency of 24-month-old aged rats was significantly shortened compared to 4-month-old young (p<0.0001, Dunnett’s test) and YC-1-treated 24-month-old group (p<0.0001, Dunnett’s test).
Figure 3
Figure 3
First-day latency of 4-month-old, DMSO-4-month-old, 24-month-old, DMSO-24-month-old, and YC-1+24-month-old rats in the PA test.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Retention latency (s) of 4-month-old, DMSO-4-month-old, 24-month-old, DMSO-24-month-old, and YC-1+24-month-old rats in the PA test. *** Retention latency of 24-month-old aged rats was significantly shortened compared to 4-month-old (p<0.0001, Dunnett’s test) and YC-1-treated 24-month-old rats (p<0.0001, Dunnett’s test).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Locomotor activity of 4-month-old, DMSO-4-month-old, 24-month-old, DMSO-24-month-old, and YC-1+24-month-old rats.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Foot-shock sensitivity of 4-month-old, DMSO, 24-month-old, and 24-month-old+YC-1 rats.
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