The intracerebroventricular injection of lipopolysaccharide may induce neurogenic detrusor overactivity symptoms in mice

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to explore if the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was able to evoke the cognitive and locomotive impairment and detrusor overactivity (DO) symptoms in mice.

Methods: This study compared the bladder function of mice that received the i.c.v. injection of LPS or saline. Specifically, basal pressure (BP), threshold pressure (TP), micturition pressure (MP), bladder capacity (BC), micturition volume (MV), bladder compliance (COM), frequency of micturition (MF), detrusor overactive index (DOI), frequency of non-voiding contractions (FNVCs), and amplitude of non-voiding contractions (ANVCs) were assessed by cystometry. The spontaneous voiding spot assay (VSA) was exerted to further assess the micturition patterns of mice. The Morris water maze (MWM) and the open field test (OFT) were used to detect the cognition and locomotive behaviors, respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to evaluate the changes in morphology and histology of mice. The extent of injury in the prefrontal cortex was tested by using Nissl staining.

Results: The LPS-treated mice exhibited evidently DO characterized by the increase of MF, FNVCs, ANVCs, and DOI and the decrease of BC. The VSA further suggested that LPS induced urinary frequency and urinary incontinence in mice. Furthermore, neither signs of bladder inflammation nor the damage of bladder smooth muscle and urothelium in LPS-exposed mice was observed. LPS induced deficits in spatial learning, memory, and locomotor activity in mice. Neuronal cells in the prefrontal cortex were obviously lost in the LPS-treated mice.

Conclusions: Acute neuroinflammation induced the cognitive and locomotive impairment and the neurogenic overactive bladder (NOAB) symptoms in mice. This novel animal model may contribute to further study the mechanisms of NOAB in neurodegenerative patients and assess the novel therapeutic strategies in the future.

Keywords: cognitive impairment; detrusor overactivity; lipopolysaccharide; neurodegenerative diseases; neurogenic overactive bladder; sickness behavior.