Fig. 6: MALDI-MS quantification of amino-acids, neurotransmitters and their metabolites within mPFC indicates persistent changes induced by adolescent treatments. | Translational Psychiatry

Fig. 6: MALDI-MS quantification of amino-acids, neurotransmitters and their metabolites within mPFC indicates persistent changes induced by adolescent treatments.

From: The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine prevents cortical neuropathological phenotypes caused by adolescent Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure in male rats

Fig. 6

Optical images of coronal mPFC sections using ZnO-NP a or FMP-10 matrices b, followed by ion distribution plots for selected molecules. Metabolites were simultaneously assessed in a single scan for each matrix, and images are from a single VEH rat. The identity of visualized molecules and corresponding experimental m/z values are indicated above the plots. At each sampling position, 40 shots were used to acquire data in the m/z 50-500 (ZnO-NP) and m/z 299–1000 (FMP-10) range. Ion intensity data were visualized using a color scale 0–100% (inset on the right) except for 5-HT (0–80%); NA (0–75%); spermine (0–60%); DA, DOPAL, DOPAC, Arg, Asp (0–50%), Gln (0–30%) for best visualization. Lateral resolution, 100 µm. Average mass spectra from the mPFC region (delineated in optical images in a and b) facilitated by derivatization with ZnO-NP (blue; c) and FMP10 (crimson; d) with mass peaks for selected molecules displayed on insets. e Box plots of average log2 transformed ratios (ratio = AUC treatment/AUC VEH) for Glu, Arg, GABA, 5-HT, DA, HVA, taurine, creatinine and spermidine and f summary color plot of all assessed molecules showing the decrease (blue) or increase (pink) in the ion abundances across treatment groups relative to VEH (n = 16/group). Molecule identities are listed on the left side of the graph, where red colors indicate significant (p < 0.05) effect of statistical comparisons (2-way ANOVA followed with pairwise comparisons or Kruskal-Wallis test followed with Mann-Whitney tests). Significant post-hoc between-groups comparisons (*vs. VEH, ^ vs. THC, # vs. VEH-NAC) are indicated with: single (p < 0.05), double (p < 0.01) or triple symbol (p < 0.001) respectively. Arg (2-way ANOVA: IP treatment: F(1,60) = 0.035, p = 0.853; oral treatment: F(1,60) = 7.474, p = 0.008; IP*oral treatment: F(1,60) = 1.368, p = 0.247; pairwise comparisons: THC-NAC vs. THC p = 0.008). GABA (Kruskal-Walis: H(3) = 22.18, p < 0.001; THC vs. VEH: U = 64, p = 0.015, THC-NAC vs. VEH: U = 2, p < 0.001, THC-NAC vs. VEH-NAC: U = 40, p = 0.001). 5-HT (Kruskal-Walis: H(3) = 13.05, p = 0.005; THC vs. VEH: U = 65, p = 0.017; THC-NAC vs. VEH: U = 42, p = 0.001, THC-NAC vs. VEH-NAC: U = 59, p = 0.008). DA (Kruskal-Walis H(3) = 8.877, p = 0.031; THC vs. VEH: U = 62, p = 0.012, THC vs. VEH-NAC: U = 68, p = 0.023, THC vs. THC-NAC: U = 66, p = 0.019). HVA (K-W: H(3) = 11.731, p = 0.008; VEH-NAC vs. VEH: U = 69, p = 0.026, THC-NAC vs. VEH: U = 32, p < 0.001). Taurine (K-W H(3) = 9.612, p = 0.022; THC vs. VEH: U = 68, p = 0.023; THC-NAC vs. VEH: U = 58; p = 0.007). Creatinine (2-way ANOVA: IP treatment: F(1,60) = 8.807, p = 0.004; oral treatment: F(1,60) = 6.634, p = 0.012; IP*oral treatment: F(1,60) = 2.075, p = 0.155; THC vs. VEH p = 0.003; VEH-NAC vs. VEH p = 0.006). Spermidine (K-W test H(3) = 14.152, p = 0.003; VEH-NAC vs. VEH: U = 50, p = 0.009; THC-NAC vs. VEH: U = 29, p < 0.001; THC-NAC vs. THC: U = 68, p = 0.041; THC-NAC vs. VEH-NAC: U = 62, p = 0.037).

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