Protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on neonatal rat primary cultured hippocampal neurons injured by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion

This study investigated the protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on alleviating injury from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/RP) in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Cultured hippocampal neurons were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) for 2?h followed by a 24?h re-oxygenation. The MTT assay and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were used to determine the neuron viability. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by spectrophotometry using commercial kits. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) in hippocampal neurons were measured using the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Treatment with LBP (10–40?mg/l) significantly attenuated neuronal damage and inhibited LDH release in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, LBP enhanced activities of SOD and GSH-PX but it decreased their MDA content, inhibited [Ca²⁺]_i elevation and decrease of MMP in ischemia–reperfusion treated hippocampal neurons. These findings suggested that LBP may be a potential neuroprotective agent for cerebral?ischemia–reperfusion injury.     

20-羟基蜕皮甾酮对大鼠全脑缺血再灌注后海马神经元损伤和炎症反应的影响

目的:观察20-羟基蜕皮甾酮对全脑缺血再灌注后SD大鼠海马神经元和认知功能的保护作用,并探讨其相关机制。方法:采用四血管闭塞法建立SD大鼠全脑缺血再灌注模型,脑电图和脑组织Nissl染色评估模型的可靠性。将实验动物分为假手术组,缺血再灌注组和缺血再灌注+20-羟基蜕皮甾酮组。TUNEL染色观察海马神经元凋亡,Morris水迷宫实验评价大鼠的认知功能,酶联免疫法测定缺血再灌注后3-24小时大鼠血清中白细胞介素-1β(IL-1β)和肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)的浓度。结果:全脑缺血再灌注后大鼠海马神经元凋亡率从4.50±1.90%上升至72.90±8.40%(p0.01),给予20和40 mg/kg 20-羟基蜕皮甾酮干预,大鼠海马神经元凋亡率分别下降至51.40±8.60%(p0.05)和42.70±6.80%(p0.01)。与假手术组相比,全脑缺血再灌注后大鼠在Morris水迷宫定位航行试验中逃避潜伏期明显延长(p0.01),在空间探索试验中目标象限停留时间和穿越目标象限次数明显减少(p0.01),而20-羟基蜕皮甾酮显著抑制上述变化,改善大鼠的认知功能。缺血再灌注后3-24小时,大鼠血清中IL-1β和TNFα浓度较假手术组显著升高,20-羟基蜕皮甾酮能抑制上述各时间点大鼠血清中IL-1β和TNFα浓度的升高。结论:20-羟基蜕皮甾酮对全脑缺血再灌注后大鼠海马神经元和认知功能有显著保护作用,抑制缺血再灌注后的炎症反应是其保护机制之一。     

多巴胺D1和D2受体激动剂和拮抗剂对脑缺血/再灌注损伤的影响

实验应用开阔法、组织病理学方法、原位末端标记(in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-metliated de-oxy-UTP mick end labeling,TUNEL)法及免疫组织化学等方法,探讨多巴胺D1、D2受体激动剂和拮抗剂对沙土鼠前脑缺血／再灌注损伤海马CA1区神经元凋亡及凋亡相关基因bcl-2、bax表达的影响。结果显示：前脑缺血5min可引起沙土鼠探索活动增加;再灌注3d,海马CA1区约95％的锥体细胞凋亡;再灌注7d,海马CA1区仅残存约2％—7％的存活锥体细胞;前脑缺血5min可抑制bcl-2的表达并诱导bax表达增高;预先应用D2受体激动剂培高利特可减轻缺血后沙土鼠行为学异常、抑制海马CA1区锥体细胞凋亡、提高锥体细胞存活数、显著诱导bcl-2的表达并抑制bax的表达。预先应用SKF38393、SCH23390及螺哌隆对以上结果无明显影响。实验结果提示,培高利特具有确切的脑保护作用,诱导bcl-2并抑制bax的表达可能是其脑保护作用机制之一。     

Neurophysiological changes associated with selective neuronal damage in hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia.

Neurophysiological changes of hippocampal neurons were compared before and after transient forebrain ischemia using intracellular recording and staining techniques in vivo. Ischemic depolarization (ID) was used as an indication of severe ischemia. Under halothane anesthesia, approximately 13 min of ID consistently produced severe neuronal damage in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus, while CA3 pyramidal neurons and dentate granule cells remained intact. After such severe ischemia, approximately 60% of the CA1 neurons exhibited a synaptic potentiation. The excitability of these neurons progressively decreased following reperfusion. Approximately 30% of the CA1 neurons showed a synaptic depression following ischemia. The excitability of these neurons transiently decreased following reperfusion. After ischemia of the same severity, both synaptic transmission and excitability of CA3 and granule cells transiently depressed. These data suggest that ischemia-induced synaptic potentiation may be associated with the pathogenesis of neuronal damage following ischemia, and that the synaptic depression may have protective effects on hippocampal neurons after ischemic insult.     

Activated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 redistributes to the cytosol and binds to Jun N-terminal kinase-interacting protein 1 involving oxidative stress during early reperfusion in rat hippocampal CA1 region

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) 7, a specific upstream activator of Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) in the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/JNK signaling pathway, plays an important role in response to global cerebral ischemia. We investigated the subcellular localization of activated (phosphorylated) MKK (p-MKK) 7 using western blotting, immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry analysis in rat hippocampus. Transient forebrain ischemia was induced by the four-vessel occlusion method on Sprague-Dawley rats. Our results showed that both protein expression and activation of MKK7 were increased rapidly with peaks at 10 min of reperfusion in the nucleus of the hippocampal CA1 region. Simultaneously, in the cytosol activated MKK7 enhanced gradually and peaked at 30 min of reperfusion. In addition, we also detected JNK-interacting protein (JIP) 1, which accumulated in the perinuclear region of neurons at 30 min of reperfusion. Interestingly, at the same time-point the binding of JIP-1 to p-MKK7 reached a maximum. Consequently, we concluded that MKK7 was rapidly activated and then translocated from the nucleus to the cytosol depending on its activation in the hippocampal CA1 region. To further elucidate the possible mechanism of MKK7 activation and translocation, the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine was injected into the rats 20 min before ischemia. The result showed that the levels of MKK7 activation, translocation and binding of p-MKK7 to JIP-1 were obviously limited by N-acetylcysteine in the cytosol at 30 min after reperfusion. The findings suggested that MKK7 activation, translocation and binding to JIP-1 were closely associated with reactive oxygen species and might play a pivotal role in the activation of the JNK signaling pathway in brain ischemic injury.     

Activation of cPLA2, PKC, and ERKs in the Rat Cerebral Cortex During Ischemia/Reperfusion

Release of the excitotoxic amino acid, glutamate, into the extracellular space during ischemia/reperfusion contributes to neuronal injury and death. To gain insights into the signal transduction pathways involved in glutamate release we examined the time course of changes in enzyme levels and activities of cPLA₂, PKC and ERKs in the rat cerebral cortex after four vessel (4VO) ischemia followed by reperfusion. Measurement both by enzymatic assay and Western blot analysis showed significant increases in the activity and protein levels of cPLA₂ during 10–20 min of ischemia. Activity remained elevated at 10 min and 20 min of reperfusion, whereas cPLA levels had returned to base line levels after 20 min of reperfusion. PKC activity increased significantly in the particulate, but not in the cytosolic, fractions both during ischemia and reperfusion. Increases in PKC levels were recorded in the particulate fraction during ischemia and reperfusion, and in the cytosolic fraction during ischemia. Western blot analysis with a phosphospecific antibody for characterization of MAPK (ERKs) activation revealed significantly increased phosphorylation of ERK₁, and ERK₂ in the particulate fraction, of ERK₂ in the cytosolic fraction, during ischemia and of both enzymes in the particulate and cytosolic fractions after 10 min of reperfusion. The relevance of the results to glutamate release is discussed.     

Changes in non-synaptosomal and synaptosomal mitochondrial membrane-linked enzymatic activities after transient cerebral ischemia

Non-synaptosomal and synaptosomal mitochondrial membrane-linked enzymatic activities, NADH-cytochrome c reductase rotenone insensitive (marker of the outer membrane) and cytochrome oxidase (marker of the inner membrane), were measured in rat brain hippocampus and striatum immediately after and 1, 4, and 7 days following the induction of complete transient ischemia (15 min) by the four vessel occlusion method. Furthermore citrate synthetase activity was measured with and without Triton X-100 in order to qualitatively evaluate the membrane permeability. Nonsynaptosomal mitochondrial membranes showed reduction of both activities only in the late reperfusion phase: NADH-CCRRi decreased in striatal mitochondria after 4–7 days and only after 7 days in the hippocampus. COX activity decreased only in striatal mitochondria 7 days after ischemia. Non-synaptosomal mitochondrial membrane permeability did not show changes. Synaptosomal mitochondria showed a decrease of NADH-CCRRi only at 7 days of reperfusion both in hippocampus and striatum, while COX activity decreased only during ischemia and returned to normal levels in the following days in the two areas considered. In summary, free mitochondria showed insensitiveness to ischemia but they risulted damaged in the late reperfusion phase, while mitochondria from the synaptic terminal showed ischemic damage, partially restored during reperfusion. The striatal mitochondria showed a major susceptibility to ischemia/repefusion damage, showing changes earlier than the hippocampal ones.     

Effective delivery of Pep-1-cargo protein into ischemic neurons and long-term neuroprotection of Pep-1-SOD1 against ischemic injury in the gerbil hippocampus

We examined the intracellular delivery of Pep-1-cargo protein against transient ischemic damage in the hippocampal CA1 region in gerbils. For this study, we introduced green fluorescent protein (GFP) and constructed Pep-1-GFP protein. At 12h after Pep-1-GFP treatment, GFP fluorescence was shown in almost CA1 pyramidal neurons in ischemic animals; in the sham-operated group, GFP fluorescence was shown in a few pyramidal neurons. Next, we confirmed the long-term effects of Pep-1-Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) against ischemic damage. In behavioral test, locomotor activity was significantly increased in Pep-1- and Pep-1-SOD1-treated groups 1 day after ischemia/reperfusion; the locomotor activity in the Pep-1-treated group was higher than that of the Pep-1-SOD1-treated group. Thereafter, the locomotor activity in both groups was decreased with time. Four days after ischemia/reperfusion, the locomotor activity in the Pep-1-SOD1-treated group was similar to that of the sham group; in the Pep-1-treated group, the activity was lower than that of the sham group. In the histochemical study, the cresyl violet positive neurons in the Pep-1-SOD1-treated group were abundantly detected in the hippocampal CA1 region 5 days after ischemia/reperfusion. In biochemical study, SOD1 protein level and activity in all Pep-1-treated ischemic groups were significantly lower than that of the Pep-1-SOD1-treated group. Our results indicate that Pep-1-cargo fusion proteins can be efficiently delivered into neurons in the ischemic hippocampus, and that Pep-1-SOD1 treatment in ischemic animals show a neuroprotection in the ischemic hippocampus for a long time.     

Distinct Subunit-specific α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptor Trafficking Mechanisms in Cultured Cortical and Hippocampal Neurons in Response to Oxygen and Glucose Deprivation

Brain ischemia occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, leading to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). This triggers a cascade of events causing a synaptic accumulation of glutamate. Excessive activation of glutamate receptors results in excitotoxicity and delayed cell death in vulnerable neurons. Following global cerebral ischemia, hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons are more vulnerable to injury than their cortical counterparts. The mechanisms that underlie this difference are unclear. Cultured hippocampal neurons respond to OGD with a rapid internalization of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) subunit GluA2, resulting in a switch from GluA2-containing Ca²⁺-impermeable receptors to GluA2-lacking Ca²⁺-permeable subtypes (CP-AMPARs). GluA2 internalization is a critical component of OGD-induced cell death in hippocampal neurons. It is unknown how AMPAR trafficking is affected in cortical neurons following OGD. Here, we show that cultured cortical neurons are resistant to an OGD insult that causes cell death in hippocampal neurons. GluA1 is inserted at the plasma membrane in both cortical and hippocampal neurons in response to OGD. In contrast, OGD causes a rapid endocytosis of GluA2 in hippocampal neurons, which is absent in cortical neurons. These data demonstrate that populations of neurons with different vulnerabilities to OGD recruit distinct cell biological mechanisms in response to insult, and that a crucial aspect of the mechanism leading to OGD-induced cell death is absent in cortical neurons. This strongly suggests that the absence of OGD-induced GluA2 trafficking contributes to the relatively low vulnerability of cortical neurons to ischemia.     

Persistent Translocation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II to Synaptic Junctions in the Vulnerable Hippocampal CA1 Region Following Transient Ischemia

Abstract: The influence of brain ischemia on the subcellular distribution and activity of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) was studied in various cortical rat brain regions during and after cerebral ischemia. Total CaM kinase II immunoreactivity (IR) and calmodulin binding in the crude synaptosomal fraction of all regions studied increase but decrease in the microsomal and cytosolic fractions, indicative of a translocation of CaM kinase II to synaptosomes. The translocation of CaM kinase II to synaptic junctions occurs but not to synaptic vesicles. The translocation in neocortex and CA3/DG (dentate gyrus) is transient, whereas in the hippocampal CA1 region, it persists for at least 1 day of reperfusion. The Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent activity of CaM kinase II in the subsynaptosomal fractions of neocortex is persistently decreased by up to 85%, despite the increase in CaM kinase II IR. The decrease in activity is more pronounced than the decline in IR, suggesting that CaM kinase II is covalently modified in the postischemic phase. The persistent translocation of CaM kinase II in the vulnerable ischemic CA1 region indicates that a pathological process is sustained in the area after the reperfusion phase and this may be of significance for ischemic brain injury.     

Susceptibility of Hippocampal and Cortical Neurons to Argon-Mediated In Vitro Ischemia

Abstract: Neurons from cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 sector exhibit a striking difference in vulnerability to transient ischemia. To establish whether this difference is due to the inherent (pathoclitic) properties of these neurons, the ischemic susceptibility was studied in primary cortical and hippocampal cultures by using a new model of argon-induced in vitro ischemia. Neuronal cultures were exposed at 37°C for 10–30 min to argon-equilibrated glucose-free medium. During argon equilibration, P o ₂ declined to <2.5 torr within 1 min and stabilized shortly later at ∼1.3 torr. After 30 min of in vitro ischemia, total adenylate was <45% and ATP content <15% of control in both types of culture. Cytosolic calcium activity increased from 15 to 50 n M . Reoxygenation of cultures after in vitro ischemia led to delayed neuronal death, the severity of which depended on the duration of in vitro ischemia but not on the type of neuronal cultures. Energy charge of adenylate transiently returned to ∼90% of control after 3 h, but ATP content recovered only to 40% and protein synthesis to <35%. Cytosolic calcium activity continued to rise after ischemia and reached values of ∼500 n M after 3 h. The new argon-induced in vitro ischemia model offers major advantages over previous methods, but despite this improvement it was not possible to replicate the differences in cortical and hippocampal vulnerability observed in vivo. Our study does not support the hypothesis that selective vulnerability is due to an inherent pathoclitic hypersensitivity.     

Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity in In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Cerebral Ischemia

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is considered the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, and an increase in putrescine after central nervous system (CNS) injury appears to be involved in neuronal death. Cerebral ischemia and reperfusion trigger an active series of metabolic events, which eventually lead to neuronal death. In the present study, ODC activity was evaluated following transient focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rat. The middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 2 h in male rats with an intraluminal suture technique. Animals were sacrificed between 3 and 48 h of reperfusion following MCA occlusion, and ODC activity was assayed in cortex and striatum. ODC activity was also estimated in an in vitro ischemia model using primary rat cortical neuron cultures, at 6–24 h reoxygenation following 1 h oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). In cortex, following ischemia, ODC activity was increased at 3 h (P < .05), reached peak levels by 6–9 h (P < .001) and returned to sham levels by 48 h reperfusion. In striatum the ODC activity followed a similar time course, but returned to basal levels by 24 h. This suggests that ODC activity is upregulated in rat CNS following transient focal ischemia and its time course of activation is region specific. In vitro, ODC activity showed a significant rise only at 24 h reoxygenation following ischemic insult. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an indicator for cell damage, was also significantly elevated after OGD. 0.25 mM -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) inhibited ischemia-induced ODC activity, whereas a 10-mM dose of DFMO appears to provide some neuroprotection by suppressing both ODC activity and LDH release in neuronal cultures, suggesting the involvement of polyamines in the development of neuronal cell death.     

The Free Radical Scavenger, α-Lipoic Acid, Protects Against Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Gerbils

-Lipoic acid (thioctic acid) was tested for its neuroprotective activity in a Mongolian gerbil model of forebrain ischemia/reperfusion. Adult gerbils were treated for 7 days with two intraperitoneal injections per day of -lipoic acid (20 mg/kg), vehicle or saline and on the 7th day the animals were subjected to 5 min of forebrain ischemia. Ischemic injury was assessed by monitoring the increases in locomotor activity and from the extent of damage to the CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cell layer after 5 days of recovery. By both criteria, -lipoic acid was neuroprotective against ischemia/reperfusion evoked cerebral injury.     

Effects of Bradykinin Postconditioning on Endogenous Antioxidant Enzyme Activity After Transient Forebrain Ischemia in Rat

Bradykinin is considered an important mediator of the inflammatory response in both the peripheral and the central nervous system and it has attracted recent interest as a potential mediator of brain injury following stroke. Bradykinin is recognized to play an important role in ischemic brain. We investigated the effect of bradykinin postconditioning on ischemic damage after 8 min of ischemia (four-vessel occlusion) and 3 days of reperfusion. Bradykinin was administered after 2 days of reperfusion at a dose of 150 μg/kg (i.p.). Catalase (CAT) activity was significantly increased in all examined regions (cortex, hippocampus and striatum) 3 days after 8 min of ischemia, but postconditioning decreased this activity below the control values. The total activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) 3 days after ischemia was at control level with or without postconditioning. However, the analysis of individual SODs separately revealed interesting differences; while the activity of CuZnSOD was significantly decreased 3 days after ischemia, the activity of MnSOD was significantly increased compared to control levels. In both cases, postconditioning returned SOD activity to control levels. These findings are interesting because MnSOD is a mitochondrial enzyme and its activity in the cytosol suggests that a possible mechanism of protection provided by postconditioning could include prevention of release of mitochondrial proteins to the cytoplasm, resulting in protection against the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. 8 min of ischemia alone caused the degeneration of 52.37% neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region 3 days later. Bradykinin used as postconditioning 2 days after the same interval of ischemia enabled the survival of more than 97% of CA1 neurons. This study demonstrated that bradykinin postconditioning induces protection against ischemic brain injury and promotes neuronal survival.     

Humanin Protects Cortical Neurons from Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury by the Increased Activity of Superoxide Dismutase

The neuroprotective effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) against hypoxia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and of humanin (HN) against toxicity by familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-related mutant SOD led us to hypothesize that HN might have a role to increase the activity of SOD, which might be involved in the protective effects of HN on neuron against Alzheimer’s disease-unrelated neurotoxicities. In the present study, we found that 4 h ischemia and 24 h reperfusion induced a significant increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, malondialdehyde (MDA) formation and the number of karyopyknotic nuclei (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride nuclear dyeing) and a decrease in the number of Calcein-AM-positive living cells and cell viability. Pretreatment of the cells with HN led to a significant decrease in LDH release, MDA formation and the number of karyopyknotic nuclei, and an increase in the number of Calcein-AM-positive living cells and cell viability in neurons treated with I/R. We also found a significant decrease in SOD activity in neurons treated with I/R only, while pre-treatment with HN before I/R induced a significant increase in the activity of SOD as compared with the I/R group. Our findings implied that HN protects cortical neurons from I/R injury by the increased SOD activity and that the protective effect of HN on neurons against I/R is concentration-dependent.     

Effect of Antioxidant Treatment in Global Ischemia and Ischemic Postconditioning in the Rat Hippocampus

Ischemic postconditioning is a very effective way how to prevent delayed neuronal death. Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761; 40 mg/kg) posttreatment was studied on the rat model of transient forebrain ischemia and ischemia/postconditioning. Global ischemia was produced by four-vessel occlusion in Wistar male rats. Two experimental protocols were used: (a) 10 min of ischemia/7 days of reperfusion with or without EGb 761 treatment or (b) 10 min of ischemia/2 days of reperfusion/5 min of ischemia (postconditioning), following 5 days of reperfusion. EGb 761 was applied as follows: 30 min before 10 min of ischemia then 5 h, 1 and 2 days after 10 min of ischemia. Fluoro Jade B, marker for neuronal degeneration, was used for quantitative analysis of the most vulnerable hippocampal CA1 neurons. Cognitive and memory functions were tested by Morris water maze, as well. Administration of EGb 761 30 min before 10 min of ischemia or 5 h after ischemia has rather no protective effect on neuronal survival in CA1 region. Ten minutes of ischemia following ischemic postconditioning after 2 days of reperfusion trigger a significant neuroprotection of CA1 neurons, but it is abolished by EGb 761 posttreatment. Ischemia/postconditioning group showed a significant improvement of learning and memory on the seventh day of reperfusion. Protection of the most vulnerable CA1 neurons after ischemia/postconditioning is abolished by exogenous antioxidant treatment used in different time intervals after initial ischemia. Moreover, combination of EGb 761 administration with repeated stress (5 min ischemia used as postconditioning) causes cumulative injury of CA1 neurons.     

Post-ischemic transcriptional and translational responses of EC-SOD in mouse brain and serum

Extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) is neuroprotective, but its role in cerebral ischemia remains to be determined. We herein describe the topographical localization and quantitative changes in EC-SOD and its mRNA expression following cerebral ischemia in mice. Mice were subjected to transient forebrain ischemia and varied intervals of reperfusion. The measurements of EC-SOD using ELISA showed increased brain EC-SOD after 24 h of reperfusion and an increase in EC-SOD brain/serum ratio after 3 h. The immunohistochemical examination in normal mice showed strong EC-SOD immunoreactivity in the choroid plexus, pia mater, and ventral tuberal area of the hypothalamus. EC-SOD immunoreactivity in cortical and striatal capillary wall was conspicuous after 3 h. EC-SOD immunoreactivity was also noted in cortical neurons after 24 h. Northern blot analysis showed an increased EC-SOD mRNA expression in the brain after 24 h. An in situ hybridization study in normal mice demonstrated the mRNA expression of EC-SOD in choroid plexus and neurons through the brain especially in the cortex or ventral tuberal area of the hypothalamus, but demonstrated no mRNA expression of EC-SOD in the capillary wall. These findings suggest that EC-SOD accumulates on endothelial cells in response to this injury by an unknown mechanism, while cortical neurons produce EC-SOD themselves after cerebral ischemia with reperfusion.     

姜黄素对自发性高血压大鼠脑缺血/再灌注后海马神经元损伤及RANTES表达的影响

目的：探讨姜黄素对自发性高血压大鼠（SHR）脑缺血/再灌注后认知功能及海马神经元损伤和调解活化正常T细胞表达和分泌的趋化因子（RANTES）表达的影响。方法：雄性Wistar-Kyoto大鼠（WKY）和SHR,随机分为5组：假手术组（W-Sham、S-Sham）、缺血/再灌注组（W-I/R、S-I/R）和姜黄素组（S-Cur）,各组按再灌注时间分为3h、12 h、1 d、3 d、7 d 5个亚组（n=6）。采用四血管阻断法制备全脑缺血/再灌注模型,HE染色观察海马CA1区神经细胞形态,Nissl染色计数海马CA1区平均锥体细胞密度,ELISA法检测海马RANTES表达,于再灌注后7 d观察行为学。结果：与假手术组大鼠比较,缺血/再灌注组大鼠学习和记忆能力下降,海马CA1区神经元损伤加重,海马RANTES蛋白表达上调（P〈0.05）;与W-I/R大鼠比较,S-I/R大鼠学习和记忆能力下降,海马CA1区神经元损伤加重,海马RANTES蛋白表达上调（P〈0.05）;姜黄素组大鼠学习和记忆能力明显改善,海马CA1区神经元损伤减轻,海马RANTES蛋白表达下调（P〈0.05）。结论：缺血/再灌注更易导致SHR海马神经元损伤。姜黄素减轻SHR脑缺血/再灌注海马神经元损伤,其机制可能与抑制RANTES蛋白的表达有关。     

Inhibition of MLK3-MKK4/7-JNK1/2 pathway by Akt1 in exogenous estrogen-induced neuroprotection against transient global cerebral ischemia by a non-genomic mechanism in male rats

Numerous studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of estrogen in experimental cerebral ischemia. To investigate molecular mechanisms of estrogen neuroprotection in global ischemia, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and Nissel-staining analysis were used. Our results showed that chronic pretreatment with beta-estradiol 3-benzoate (E2) enhanced Akt1 activation and reduced the activation of mixed-lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4/7 (MKK4/7), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2) in the hippocampal CA1 subfield during reperfusion after 15 min of global ischemia. In addition, E2 reduced downstream JNK nuclear and non-nuclear components, c-Jun and Bcl-2 phosphorylation and Fas ligand protein expression induced by ischemia/reperfusion. Administration of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY 294,002 prevented both activation of Akt1 and inhibition of MLK3, MKK4/7 and JNK1/2. The interaction between ERalpha and the p85 subunit of PI3K was also examined. E2 and antiestrogen ICI 182,780 promoted and prevented this interaction, respectively. Furthermore, ICI 182,780 blocked both the activation of Akt1 and the inhibition of MLK3, MKK4/7 and JNK1/2. Photomicrographs of cresyl violet-stained brain sections showed that E2 reduced CA1 neuron loss after 5 days of reperfusion, which was abolished by ICI 182,780 and LY 294,002. Our data indicate that in response to estrogen, ERalpha interacts with PI3K to activate Akt1, which may inhibit the MLK3-MKK4/7-JNK1/2 pathway to protect hippocampal CA1 neurons against global cerebral ischemia in male rats.