Differences in BDNF and ΔFosB levels in Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar rats : research data underlying the doctoral dissertation

Banjac, Anamarija (author), Živin, Marko (project manager), Zorović, Maja (mentor)

The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat strain is a model for treatment-resistant depression, exhibiting behaviours indicative of anhedonia. The strain also displays disruptions in neurochemical signalling, typical in patients with anhedonia. According to the Neurotrophic hypothesis of depression, BDNF is the main plasticity protein involved in the pathophysiology of depression. However, levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have not yet been investigated in WKY rats. To investigate this in the framework of anhedonia, WKY rats and control Wistar (W) rats were repeatedly treated with amphetamine (AMPH) and morphine (MORPH). After measuring behavioural readouts, rats were sacrificed, their brains isolated, and frozen. Brain tissue was sectioned, and three regions of interest were assessed: prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). BDNF was assessed as a molecular marker for anhedonia. To check if any molecular processes of addiction were involved, levels of ΔFosB were measured. Both proteins of interest were first assessed with Western Blot (WB). Bdnf mRNA-positive cells were additionally assessed with in-situ hybridization (ISH). ΔFosB-immunoreactive cells were further assessed with immunohistochemistry (IHC). WB showed elevated BDNF protein expression in all three regions of interest in WKY rats. WKY rats also exhibited an increase in Bdnf mRNA-positive cells in the PFC, as indicated by ISH. For ΔFosB, AMPH affected ΔFosB levels only in the PFC of W rats, indicated by WB. In IHC, no specific treatment affected ΔFosB levels, but WKY rats showed higher overall expression compared to W rats. The results show line differences in BDNF in areas typically involved in disordered reward-processing. Reliable molecular processes of addiction were not found.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Wistar-Kyoto rat, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, ΔFosB, anhedonia, addiction
• Typology: 2.20 - Complete scientific database of research data
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182417
• Data col. methods: Measurements and tests
• Publication date in RUL: 18.05.2026

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0171
• Name: Plastičnost živčevja v fizioloških in patofizioloških razmerah