Methods for screening human blood products comprising plasma using immunocompromised rodent models

Abstract

Methods and compositions are provided for screening candidate compositions for activity with respect to treatment of aging-associated conditions, e.g., cognitive impairment conditions or age-related dementia. Aspects of the methods include administering a human blood product comprising plasma, to an immunocompromised animal, e.g., a mouse or a rat, and measuring the effect of the product on an endpoint, e.g., neurogenesis, locomotor activity, anxiety, spatial memory, and hippocampus-dependent memory.

1 . A method of testing a human blood product comprising plasma, the method comprising:
 a. administering the product to an immunocompromised rodent; and   b. measuring the effect of the product on an endpoint, the endpoint an indicator of cognitive impairment, age-related dementia, or age-related decline of physiological function.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the endpoint comprises one or more of the following: neurogenesis, locomotor activity, anxiety, spatial memory, hippocampus-dependent memory, and general cognition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rodent is a mouse. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rodent is a rat. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mouse is one of the following strains: NSG, athymic nude, BALB/c nude, CD-1® nude, Fox Chase SCID® Beige, Fox Chase SCID®, NIH-III nude, NMRI nude, NOD SCID, Nu/Nu Nude, OT I, OT II, SCH, SHO®, and SCID NCr. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  where in the rat is of the RNU nude strain. 
     
     
         7 . A method of identifying a fraction of a human blood product comprising plasma having the ability to produce a measurable endpoint in an immunocompromised rodent, the method comprising:
 a. Administering the fraction to an immunocompromised rodent; and   b. Determining whether the fraction produces the measurable endpoint.