Magnesium prevents tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus of ICV-STZ-treated rats.

Abstract

<p>Rats were divided into sham-operated control (Con), sham-operated plus 100 mg/kg magnesium control (Mg), STZ ICV (STZ) or STZ ICV plus 100 mg/kg magnesium (STZ+Mg) groups and treated as shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0108645#pone-0108645-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1A</a>. The levels of total tau (tau-5) and phosphorylated tau at Thr205, Thr231, Ser396, and Ser404 in whole hippocampus extracts were measured using Western blotting (A) and quantitative analysis (B). The accumulation of Tau214 in the hippocampus neuron was detected using immunohistochemistry (C). The phosphorylation levels of tau at Thr205, Thr231, Ser396 and Ser404 sites increased significantly in the hippocampus of ICV-STZ-treated rats, while supplementation of magnesium attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation. The level of the total tau probed by tau-5 did not change. Attenuation of the STZ-induced tau hyperphosphorylation at Ser214 by magnesium was also detected using immunohistochemistry. Data were presented as means ± SD. *<i>P</i><0.05 versus the control group, <i>#P</i><0.05 versus the STZ group.</p