Effects of autophagy on synaptic-plasticity-related protein expression in the hippocampus CA1 of a rat model of vascular dementia

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between autophagy and synaptic plasticity in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia (VD). The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and the autophagy agonist rapamycin (Rap) were injected into the lateral ventricles of rats, and a rat VD model was established using a modified four-vessel occlusion method. The expression of LC3-II, synaptophysin (Syn), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the CA1 area of the rat hippocampus were detected using western blotting. Decreased Syn and PSD-95 expression in the VD group was accompanied by an increased LC3-II/LC3-I ratio. The expression of Syn and PSD-95 increased after 3-MA application, but decreased following Rap application. The LC3-II/LC3-I ratio was negatively correlated with Syn and PSD-95 expression. These findings suggest that autophagy may regulate synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus in a VD model of rats. Inhibition of autophagy is beneficial to the remodeling of synapses in the hippocampal CA1 area of the VD rat model, and this may provide a theoretical basis for the treatment and prevention of VD.