Protective effects of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors γ coactivator‐1α against neuronal cell death in the hippocampal CA1 subfield after transient global ischemia

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors γ coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α) may regulate the mitochondrial antioxidant defense system under many neuropathological settings. However, the exact role of PGC‐1α in ischemic brain damage is still under debate. Based on an experimental model of transient global ischemia (TGI), this study evaluated the hypothesis that the activation of PGC‐1α signaling pathway protects hippocampal CA1 neurons against delayed neuronal death after TGI. In Sprague‐Dawley rats, significantly increased content of oxidized proteins in the hippocampal CA1 tissue was observed as early as 30 min after TGI, followed by augmentation of PGC‐1α expression at 1 hr. Expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and superoxide dismutases 2 (SOD2) in the hippocampal CA1 neurons was upregulated 4–48 hr after TGI. In addition, knock‐down of PGC‐1α expression by pretreatment with a specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotide in the hippocampal CA1 subfield downregulated the expression of UCP2 and SOD2 with resultant exacerbation of oxidative stress and augmentation of delayed neuronal cell death in the hippocampus after TGI. Overall, our results indicate that PGC‐1α is induced by cerebral ischemia leading to upregulation of UCP2 and SOD2, thereby providing a neuroprotective effect against ischemic brain injury in the hippocampus by ameliorating oxidative stress. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 decreases the expressions of caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2 after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in rats

This study aimed to investigate the effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) inhibition on blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity and the expressions of caveolae structural proteins caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2 in rats with focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. BBB permeability was assessed by Evans blue extravasation. The mRNA and protein expressions of caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2 were determined by RT‐PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. We found that BBB permeability significantly increased and reaches its peak at 72 h of reperfusion in cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion rats and is able to be ameliorated by administration of HC‐067047, an antagonist of TRPV4. Additionally, it shows a significant upregulation of caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2 expression in cerebral microvessels of ischemic tissue. However, treatment with HC‐067047 was shown to downregulate caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2 expression during cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion. This study demonstrates that inhibition of TRPV4 ameliorates BBB leakage induced by ischemia‐reperfusion injury through the downregulation of caveolin‐1 and caveolin‐2.