Neurotrophic Effects of the Glycosaminoglycan C3 on Dendritic Arborization and Spines in the Adult Rat Hippocampus: A Quantitative Golgi Study

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) may be effective as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Previous work from this group using a rat model showed that a single intra-amygdaloid injection of A$(25-35) could induce abnormal tauimmunoreactive perikarya in the hippocampus. Furthermore, administration of the GAG C3, an ultra low molecular weight heparin mixture of 4-10 oligosaccharides (MW~2.1) could decrease A$(25-35) -induced tau-2 immunoreactivity in this model of AD. In this study, we evaluated the effects of stereotaxic intra-amygdaloid injection of A$(25-35) (5 nml/3:l) and of C3-treatment (administered subcutaneously, s.c.) on dendritic morphology of Golgi-impregnated CA1 pyramids of the hippocampus. Subjects were young-adult, male F344 rats.