Therapeutic Evaluation of Thermal Heat Shock Response in Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe accumulation of toxic amyloid‐ß protein in brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of such toxicants is prevented by a cellular protein quality control system. Molecular chaperons, which further prevent proteins from misfolding and aggregating, are produced by this system, which is mostly activated in response to acute thermal stress. This study aims to determine the therapeutic effect of frequent thermal shock on the development of Alzheimer’s diseaseMethodThe induction of Alzheimer’s disease was caused by the intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of the Aß (1‐42) peptide into the ventricular system of the mouse brain. The animals were divided into four groups: normal control (NC), disease control (DC), sham control (SC), water immersion/no heat group (NH), and hot water immersion/high heat group (HH). The ICV‐Aß injection was given to the DC, NH, and HH groups to induce dementia and AD‐like symptoms. The animals in the HH treatment group were given heat shock in the form of hot water immersion for a period of 4 weeks, where each session lasted for 20 minutes. The animals in the NH group were also exposed to water immersion for 20 minutes daily for a period of 4 weeks, but the water temperature was maintained at room temperature. After the completion of the treatment period, the behavioural and biochemical parameters of the animals were assessed for learning and memory defects. The enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out for the Aß estimation.ResultBehavioural assessments in the Y‐maze and morris water maze showed that the animals given daily heat exposure for a period of 4 weeks resisted the detrimental memory effects of the ICV‐Aß injection and had better memory than the water immersion group with no heat treatment given. Increased levels of lipid peroxidation and decreased levels of glutathione were significantly (p<0.05) antagonised by hot water immersion treatment. ELISA showed the lower level of Aß in hot water immersion/high heat group animals when compared to the disease control animals.ConclusionThe study concluded that frequent heat exposure from hot baths and saunas may reduce the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s‐like symptoms in old age.