Octodon degus: a natural model of multimorbidity for ageing research

Cuenca‐Bermejo, Lorena; Pizzichini, Elisa; González-Cuello, Ana; Stefano, Maria Egle De; Fernández-Villalba, Emiliano; Herrero, María Teófila Vicente

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2020.101204

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 145 publications

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“…In terms of PD pathology, only one study has been carried out to find characteristic hallmarks, but the authors failed to detect α-synuclein deposits or loss of neuronal density in old specimens of O. degus [ 55 ]. However, this discrepancy might be due to the influence of external factors that could favor neuropathological hallmarks, or even the methodology used was not able to detect non-fibrillary aggregates [ 14 ]. In addition, these animals were not induced to Parkinsonism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relevance of these results is also supported by the fact that the O. degus , differently to rats and mice, is a diurnal rodent that has been classically considered as a natural model to study neurodegeneration because it spontaneously develops cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease-like histopathological hallmarks, retinal and macular degeneration [ 14 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last decades, the diurnal rodent Octodon degus ( O. degus ) has been claimed as an attractive tool for biomedical research in the field of age-related disorders, especially for neuroscience, since this species spontaneously develops protein aggregates in the brain [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Moreover, its social-affective behavior is of higher complexity than the one of mice or rats, and it shows as well other human-like disorders associated with the aging process, such as diabetes, retinal degeneration, tumors or endocrinal dysfunction [ 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

Cuenca‐Bermejo

Pizzichini

Gonçalves

et al. 2021

IJMS

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The diurnal rodent Octodon degus (O. degus) is considered an attractive natural model for Alzheimer’s disease and other human age-related features. However, it has not been explored so far if the O. degus could be used as a model to study Parkinson’s disease. To test this idea, 10 adult male O. degus were divided into control group and MPTP-intoxicated animals. Motor condition and cognition were examined. Dopaminergic degeneration was studied in the ventral mesencephalon and in the striatum. Neuroinflammation was also evaluated in the ventral mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the dorsal hippocampus. MPTP animals showed significant alterations in motor activity and in visuospatial memory. Postmortem analysis revealed a significant decrease in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral mesencephalon of MPTP animals, although no differences were found in their striatal terminals. We observed a significant increase in neuroinflammatory responses in the mesencephalon, in the striatum and in the hippocampus of MPTP-intoxicated animals. Additionally, changes in the subcellular expression of the calcium-binding protein S100β were found in the astrocytes in the nigrostriatal pathway. These findings prove for the first time that O. degus are sensitive to MPTP intoxication and, therefore, is a suitable model for experimental Parkinsonism in the context of aging.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

Cuenca‐Bermejo

Pizzichini

Gonçalves

et al. 2021

IJMS

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“…In addition, this species demonstrates strong social attachment and strong stress responses [21]. Because of these characteristics, degus are considered to be a useful model animal in the elds of psychopathology, psychology, neuroscience, and animal behavior [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term behavioral effects of social separation during early life in a social mammal, Octodon degus

Ukyo

Shinohara

Koshimoto

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Social separation is thought to induce a strong stress response in social juvenile mammals, but little is known about how this response might vary throughout the development. The present study examines the long-term effects of early-life stress (ELS) induced by social separation on individual behaviors later in life using the social and precocious species Octodon degus. Four experimental groups were established a positive control group of mothers and siblings from three litters comprised the socially housed (SH) group, while pups from six litters were randomly assigned to three treatments: pups experiencing no separation (NS) treatment while their siblings did; repeated bouts of consecutive separation (CS); intermittent separation (IS). We analyzed the effects of separation treatment on the frequency and duration of freezing, rearing and grooming behaviors. ELS was correlated with higher hyperactivity later in life, especially in developed males, and hyperactivity increased with more frequent separation. The SH group containing siblings that did not experience parental separation gained more weight than the other groups. The findings suggest that the NS group was indirectly affected by ELS, especially females. In summary, the long-term effects of ELS are more direct in males while those are more indirect in females.

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“…The use of degus (Octodon degus, Octodontidae, Rodentia), hystricomorphic medium-sized diurnal rodents, as a laboratory subject has grown over the last few decades due to their unique biological features, especially in the research of anatomy and physiology, aging, diabetes mellitus, vision, behavior, and social interactions (13)(14)(15)(16). Studies published in privately kept degus have shown a very high incidence of spontaneous dental disease, which was characterized by apical and coronal clinical crown elongation, tooth sharp spike formation, and orthodontic tooth movement within the jaw (17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Micro-CT Imaging to Assess Ventral Mandibular Cortical Thickness and Volume in an Experimental Rodent Model With Chronic High-Phosphorus Intake

et al. 2021

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Adverse effects of high dietary phosphorus on bone health have been observed in both animal and human studies. The aim of the investigation was to examine chronic effects of high phosphorus diet on the apical mandibular cortical thickness and volume in a hystricomorph rodent (Octodon degus) using microcomputed tomography. Male degus were randomly divided into two groups fed by different mineral contents from the age of 12 weeks till the age of 17 months. The micro-CT scanning and wall thickness analysis were applied on the region of the mandible exactly under the apices of the 4th premolar tooth, first molar tooth, and second molar tooth in two animals from each group. General overview and mapping of the ventral mandibular bone thickness revealed pronounced bony mandibular protrusions in all the animals fed a high-phosphorus diet with obvious bone thinning apically to the 4th premolar and first and second molar tooth apices. Mandibular bone volume and thickness located apically to the premolar and molars were statistically significantly smaller/thinner in the group fed by a high phosphorus diet. The thinnest bone measured 0.004 mm, where the mandibular 4th premolar tooth almost perforated the mandibular cortex. Similar studies of metabolic bone disease and its influence on alveolar bone were also published in rats and mice. The influence of different environmental, infectious, or metabolic factors on the growing tooth, alveolar bone formation, and bone pathologies must be done experimentally on growing animals. In contrast, degus have continuously growing dentition, and the effect of any of the above listed factors can be studied in this animal model at any age and for longer time periods.

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Octodon degus: a natural model of multimorbidity for ageing research

Cited by 10 publications

References 145 publications

A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

A New Tool to Study Parkinsonism in the Context of Aging: MPTP Intoxication in a Natural Model of Multimorbidity

Long-term behavioral effects of social separation during early life in a social mammal, Octodon degus

Use of Micro-CT Imaging to Assess Ventral Mandibular Cortical Thickness and Volume in an Experimental Rodent Model With Chronic High-Phosphorus Intake

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