Longitudinal monitoring of metabolic alterations in cuprizone mouse model of multiple sclerosis using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Jasmien Orije, Firat Kara, Caroline Guglielmetti, Jelle Praet, Annemie Van der Linden, Peter Ponsaerts, Marleen Verhoye

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Non-invasive measures of well-known pathological hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS) such as demyelination, inflammation and axonal injury would serve as useful markers to monitor disease progression and evaluate potential therapies. To this end, in vivo localized proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) provides a powerful means to monitor metabolic changes in the brain and may be sensitive to these pathological hallmarks. In our study, we used the cuprizone mouse model to study pathological features of MS, such as inflammation, de- and remyelination, in a highly reproducible manner. C57BL/6J mice were challenged with a 0.2% cuprizone diet for 6-weeks to induce demyelination, thereafter the mice were put on a cuprizone free diet for another 6weeks to induce spontaneous remyelination. We employed in vivo 1H-MRS to longitudinally monitor metabolic changes in the corpus callosum of cuprizone-fed mice during the demyelination (weeks 4 and 6) and spontaneous remyelination (week 12) phases. The MRS spectra were quantified with LCModel and since the total creatine (tCr) levels did not change over time or between groups, metabolite concentrations were expressed as ratios relative to tCr. After 4 and 6weeks of cuprizone treatment a significant increase in taurine/tCr and a significant reduction in total N-acetylaspartate/tCr, total choline-containing compounds/tCr and glutamate/tCr could be observed compared to mice under normal diet. At week 12, when almost full remyelination was established, no statistically significant metabolic differences were present between the control and cuprizone group. Our results suggest that these metabolic changes may represent sensitive markers for cuprizone induced demyelination, axonal injury and inflammation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal in vivo 1H-MRS study that monitored biochemical changes in the corpus callosum of cuprizone fed mice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)128-135
Number of pages8
JournalNeuroImage
Volume114
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2015

Keywords

  • Cuprizone mouse model
  • Demyelination
  • Longitudinal
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
  • Remyelination

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