Sex differences in MDMA-induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats

Soleimani, Sara and Mehdizadeh, Mehdi and Shahraki, Soudabeh Hamedi and Artimani, Tayebeh and Joghataei, Mohammad Taghi (2015) Sex differences in MDMA-induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Functional Neurology, 30 (2). pp. 131-137. ISSN 1971-3274

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Abstract

Recent evidence demonstrates that female subjects show exaggerated responses to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) compared with males. The aim of our study was to evaluate sex differences and the role of endogenous gonadal hormones on the effects of MDMA. Fifty-six intact and gonadectomized male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either MDMA (5 mg/kg) or saline treatment. Learning and memory were assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM). The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in the hippocampus was detected by Western blotting. Behavioral analysis showed that MDMA led to memory impairment in both male and female rats. The female rats showed more sensitivity to impairment than the males, as assessed using all the memory parameters in the MWM. Ovariectomy attenuated the MDMA-induced memory impairment. By contrast, orchiectomized rats showed more impairment than MDMA-treated intact male rats. Bcl-2 and Bax were down-regulated and up-regulated in MDMA-treated male and female rats, respectively. MDMA treatment in the orchiectomized rats led to up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2. Ovariectomy attenuated the MDMA-induced up-regulation of Bax and caused more expression of Bcl-2 compared with what was observed in the MDMA-treated intact female rats. In summary, female rats showed exaggerated responses to the effects of MDMA and this may be explained by endogenous gonadal hormones.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Bax, Bcl-2, ecstasy, gonadectomy, spatial memory
Subjects: 600 Tecnologia - Scienze applicate > 610 Medicina e salute (Classificare qui la tecnologia dei servizi medici)
Depositing User: Marina Spanti
Date Deposited: 23 Sep 2019 12:52
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2019 12:52
URI: http://eprints.bice.rm.cnr.it/id/eprint/12583

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