Chunk #90 — Results and discussion — Analysis of Akt/mTOR phosphoprotein pathway throughout the brain after chronic alcohol: Decreased expression of multiple mTOR/Akt phosphoproteins in 3xTg-AD alcohol-exposed mice (1-month post alcohol)
In the present study, the brains of 3xTg-AD mice were probed for changes to phosphoproteins of the mTOR/Akt pathway after chronic, nondependent alcohol [(25%, w/v) + saccharin (0.1%, w/v) vs water (n = 5)] as compared to saccharin [(0.1%, w/v) vs water (n = 5)] drinkers in to our standard two-bottle choice 24-h home-cage method. Brains were removed approximately 1 month after the final alcohol or saccharin drinking session (at 8 months of age), so the following results indicate lasting changes provoked by the interaction of AD and chronic alcohol drinking. Both groups of mice drank similar volumes and alcohol drinking mice consumed an average of 15.7g/kg/day representing a moderate level of alcohol consumption, but not reaching binge or heavy drinking levels. Overall, the results indicate dysfunction of the mTOR/Akt phosphoprotein signaling with the predominate trend showing decreases throughout the brains of 3xTg-AD mice with a history of alcohol drinking.
