Objective: Behavioral test assessing depressive-like behavior through swimming and immobility in water
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Begin valganciclovir treatment of transgenic mice at 8 weeks of age
Note: Different treatment durations for different experimental cohorts (8 weeks for dexamethasone, 10-19 weeks for endocrine, 12 weeks for behavior, 4 weeks for histology)
“Male v-WT and v-TK mice were treated with valganciclovir for 8 weeks (dexamethasone experiment), 10-19 weeks (endocrine), 12 weeks (behavior) or 4 weeks (histology), beginning at 8 weeks of age”
Inject dexamethasone or vehicle 90 minutes prior to restraint stress
Note: Dexamethasone dose: 50 μg/kg in propylene glycol; blood sampled immediately following 10 min restraint
“For the dexamethasone suppression test, dexamethasone (Sigma; 50 μg/kg in propylene glycol) or vehicle were injected 90 min prior to restraint, and blood was sampled immediately following 10 min restraint”
Restrain mice for 30 minutes prior to behavioral testing
Note: Behavioral tests performed following this restraint or directly from home cage
“Behavioral tests were performed following 30 min of restraint or directly from the home cage”
Place mouse in water-filled container and measure swimming and immobility behavior
Note: Test performed as previously described in referenced publications; different cohorts tested in this and other behavioral tests
“Different cohorts of mice were tested in the NSF test, elevated plus maze, forced swim test and sucrose preference test as previously described”
Obtain submandibular blood samples from home cage condition or after stress exposure
Note: Samples collected from home cage, after novel box exploration, after restraint, or after isoflurane exposure
“Serum corticosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay (MP Biomedicals) from submandibular blood samples obtained directly from the home cage condition or after exploration of a novel box, restraint, or isoflurane exposure”
Measure serum corticosterone levels using radioimmunoassay
Note: MP Biomedicals radioimmunoassay kit used
“Serum corticosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay (MP Biomedicals)”
Transgenic mice expressing HSV-TK under GFAP promoter (v-TK) and wild-type controls (v-WT); different cohorts tested
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