Changes in transcript expression in circulating whole blood resulting from exposure to neurotoxic doses of D-amphetamine or Heat Stroke/Hyperthermia

These experiments were designed to detect transcript (mRNA) changes in whole circulating blood in animals exposed to D-amphetamine under neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic conditions, or subjected to elevated environmental temperatures that produced a hyperthermia very similar to heat stroke. The study objectives were: 1) to detect transcript changes in blood due to life-threatening hyperthermia produced by elevated environmental temperatures (39°C, produces no or minimal neurotoxicity); 2) detect transcripts that could serve as biomarkers specific for neurotoxic amphetamine exposures and not seen with environmentally-induced hyperthermia; and 3) determine the transcript changes related to the immune system in circulating blood produced by either non-neurotoxic or neurotoxic amphetamine exposures. Amphetamine effects on gene expression are dependent on body temperature and indicate that many significant changes in genes related to the immune system occur, some likely in response to damage, even when animals remain normothermic during amphetamine exposure. Also, hyperthermia alone produces many changes in immune related genes in blood Overall design: Five groups of animals were necessary to meet the study objectives. All groups were given 4 injections of either normal saline or amphetamine, and the injections were sequentially given with 2 h between each injection. Dosing started at 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The groups are: 1) normothermic controls given normal saline in a 22.5°C environment; 2) controls given normal saline in a 16°C environment (also remained normothermic); 3) environmentally-induced hyperthermia given saline in a 39°C environment; 4) non-neurotoxic amphetamine given in a 16°C environment and 5) neurotoxic amphetamine group given amphetamine in a 22.5°C environment. Note the the saline controls (normothermic data) is contained in a separate but linked GEO file GSE62368

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Bowyer JF, Tranter KM, Hanig JP, Crabtree NM, Schleimer RP, George NI