Spatio-temporal expression of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-2 mRNA in rat brain after focal cerebral ischemia

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) induce inflammatory responses mediated by activating CysLT(1) and CysLT(2) receptors. We have recently reported that CysLT(1) receptor expression is increased in rat brain after focal cerebral ischemia and the increased expression is spatio-temporally related to acute neuronal injury and late astrocyte proliferation. Here we report spatio-temporal expression of CysLT(2) receptor mRNA in rat brain after focal cerebral ischemia induced by 30min of middle cerebral artery occlusion. We found that the neuron density was gradually decreased or disappeared in the ischemic core and boundary zone during 14 days after reperfusion, and the astrocyte population in the boundary zone was increased 3-14 days after reperfusion. In the ischemic core, the expression of CysLT(2) receptor mRNA was increased at 6, 12 and 24h and then recovered at 3, 7 and 14 days after reperfusion. In the boundary zone, the expression was significantly increased 3, 7 and 14 days after reperfusion. The results suggest that CysLT(2) receptor may be related to the acute neuronal injury and late astrocyte proliferation in the ischemic brain.     

Bcl-w expression is increased in brain regions affected by focal cerebral ischemia in the rat

Proteins of the bcl-2 family are important regulators of apoptosis in many tissues of the embryo and adult and may play a role in cell death following stroke. The recently isolated bcl-w gene encodes a pro-survival member of the bcl-2 family, which is widely expressed. However, it is not known whether bcl-w plays a role in determining cell survival after cerebral ischemia. Using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry, regional bcl-w protein expression was studied in rat brain 2, 6, 24 and 72 h following 20 min temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Focal cerebral ischemia increased bcl-w protein expression within the caudate putamen and parietal cortex, as well as causing milder increases within frontal cortex. Immunocytochemically bcl-w was expressed within neurons (frontal and parietal cortex) and glia (caudate putamen) 24 h after MCAO. These data suggest that bcl-w could play a role in determining cell survival after cerebral ischemia.     

Increased expression of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-1 in the brain mediates neuronal damage and astrogliosis after focal cerebral ischemia in rats

Cysteinyl leukotrienes are potent pro-inflammatory mediators. Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 is one of the two cysteinyl leukotriene receptors cloned. We recently reported that cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonists protected against cerebral ischemic injury, and an inducible expression of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 was found in neuron- and glial-appearing cells after traumatic injury in human brain. To determine the role of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 in ischemic brain injury, we investigated the temporal and spatial profile of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 expression in rat brain from 3 h to 14 days after 30 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion, and observed the effect of pranlukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist, on the ischemic injury. We found that cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 mRNA expression was up-regulated in the ischemic core both 3-12 h and 7-14 days, and in the boundary zone 7-14 days after reperfusion. In the ischemic core, cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 was primarily localized in neurons 24 h, and in macrophage/microglia 14 days after reperfusion; while in the boundary zone it was localized in proliferated astrocytes 14 days after reperfusion. Pranlukast attenuated neurological deficits, reduced infarct volume and ameliorated neuron loss in the ischemic core 24 h after reperfusion; it reduced infarct volume, ameliorated neuron loss and inhibited astrocyte proliferation in the boundary zone 14 days after reperfusion. Thus, we conclude that cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 mediates acute neuronal damage and subacute/chronic astrogliosis after focal cerebral ischemia.     

艾芬地尔对大鼠局灶性脑缺血损伤后脑水肿和AQP4表达的影响

目的:研究大鼠脑缺血后水通道蛋白4(AQP4)在脑内的表达及N-甲基-D-天冬氨基酸(NMDA)受体拮抗剂艾芬地尔对其的调节作用。方法:线栓法制作大脑中动脉阻塞(middle cerebra lartery occlusion,MACO)局灶性脑缺血模型;干湿重法测量脑组织含水量以评估脑水肿的程度;免疫组化,免疫蛋白印记法测量AQP4(水通道蛋白4)的表达。结果:与假手术组比较,模型组和艾芬地尔组脑组织含水量、梗死灶周围AQP4表达明显增加;与模型组比较,艾芬地尔组能显著减少脑组织含水量,减轻梗死灶周围AQP4表达,差异有统计学意义。结论:缺血损伤后脑组织的AQP4表达上升,脑水肿明显,给予艾芬地尔后可抑制AQP4的表达,减轻脑水肿。     

Permanent focal cerebral ischemia activates erythropoietin receptor in the neonatal rat brain

Erythropoietin (Epo) has been shown to act as a neurotrophic and neuroprotective factor via binding to its receptor (EpoR) which is activated in adult brains following hypoxia and ischemia. However, no evidence suggests that cerebral ischemia can activate EpoR in the neonatal brain. In the present study, the changes in EpoR expression were investigated using a modified model of permanent focal cerebral ischemia (FCI) in 7-day-old rat pups. Western blot analysis with an anti-rabbit EpoR antibody revealed a significant increase in the EpoR protein in the ischemic areas, starting from 6 to 12 h after FCI. Moreover, many EpoR-positive cells were detected in the ischemic areas from 12 h after FCI, and the positive cells were identified as neurons and microglia/macrophage but not astrocytes 24 h after FCI. Additionally, double staining with a red in situ apoptosis detection kit and the EpoR antibody indicated that EpoR-positive cells were in apoptotic cell death in the ischemic area. Therefore, these results suggest that EpoR is activated in the ischemic areas of neonatal rats and plays an important role in brain injury during development.     

大鼠慢性脑缺血上调脑AQP9表达

目的检测慢性脑缺血后水通道蛋白9(AQP9)的表达及其影响。方法将大鼠随机分为对照组和慢性脑缺血1、3和6月组,每组各20只。用双侧颈总动脉结扎法(2-vo法)建立大鼠慢性脑缺血模型,水迷宫实验检测大鼠的学习记忆能力,干湿重法检测脑含水量,HE染色观察脑组织缺血后形态学,吸光度法检测脑组织乳酸含量,免疫荧光和免疫印迹测定AQP9的表达。结果与对照组相比,慢性脑缺血组大鼠的学习记忆明显下降(P0.05),脑含水量无明显变化,慢性脑缺血各组的脑乳酸含量较对照组上调(P0.05);慢性脑缺血组脑组织胶质细胞增生,神经元凋亡坏死;与对照组相比,慢性脑缺血各组AQP9的表达上调(P0.05)。结论慢性脑缺血后脑组织中AQP9表达上调,可能与缺血后能量底物的转运有关。     

大鼠局灶脑缺血/再灌注模型TGTβ的表达

用线栓法模型观察脑缺血再灌注时ＴＧＦβ在脑组织的表达情况。大鼠随机分为假手术组、空白对照组、Ｏ２４Ｒ０、Ｏ４Ｒ２４、Ｏ２Ｒ０．５、ＯＺＲＺ、ＯＺＲ４、ＯＺＲＳ、Ｏ２Ｒ２４、Ｏ２Ｒ４８、Ｏ２Ｒ９６组,每组各６只,１２组共７２只。动物经灌注固定后进行苏木素一伊红,ＴＧＦβ１、β２免疫组化染色和ＢＳＬ凝集素组化染色。结果显示ＴＧＦ６１的表达有两种模式,即早期的普遍表达和后期的与损伤有关的表达。ＴＧＦ６２的表达只有相当于ＴＧＦ６１的第二期反应。大部分ＴＧＦ６来源于小胶质细胞和吞噬细胞。ＴＧＦβ１在神经元的表达是神经元存活的标志,对保护半暗带神经元有重要意义。     

Topiramate reduces non-convulsive seizures after focal brain ischemia in the rat

Acute "silent" seizures after brain injury are associated with a worsening of patient outcome and are often refractory to anti-epileptic drug (AED) therapy. In the present study we evaluated topiramate (TPM, 1-30 mg/kg, i.v.) in a rodent model of spontaneous non-convulsive seizure (NCS) activity induced by focal cerebral ischemia. For seizure detection, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was continuously recorded for 24h in male Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Infarct volume, neurological deficit, and NCS were evaluated by an experimenter blinded to the treatment group. All vehicle treated rats (7/7) exhibited NCS following MCAo. TPM treatment, delivered at 20 min post-occlusion and prior to onset of NCS activity, dose-dependently reduced the incidence of NCS (ED(50)=21.1mg/kg). The highest dose of TPM tested (30 mg/kg) exhibited maximal reductions of 76% in the number of NCS/rat (vehicle=22.1+/-5.3, TPM=4.4+/-3.2, P<0.05), 80% in the total time of NCS (vehicle=1259+/-337 s, TPM=253+/-220 s, P<0.05), 20% in core brain infarction (vehicle=45+/-1%, TPM=36+/-4%, percent of ipsilateral volume corrected for swelling, P<0.05), and 38% in neurological deficit score (vehicle=7.4+/-1.2, TPM=4.6+/-1.5, P<0.05). Despite efficacy as a pre-seizure treatment, TPM was not effective when delivered immediately following onset of the first NCS event (36+/-5 min post-MCAo). In conclusion, TPM exhibited significant efficacy for the prophylactic treatment of brain-injury induced NCS and represents a novel class of AED for treatment of this type of silent brain seizure.     

Rapamycin alleviates brain edema after focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion in rats

Brain edema is a major consequence of cerebral ischemia reperfusion. However, few effective therapeutic options are available for retarding the brain edema progression after cerebral ischemia. Recently, rapamycin has been shown to produce neuroprotective effects in rats after cerebral ischemia reperfusion. Whether rapamycin could alleviate this brain edema injury is still unclear. In this study, the rat stroke model was induced by a 1-h left transient middle cerebral artery occlusion using an intraluminal filament, followed by 48?h of reperfusion. The effects of rapamycin (250?μg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal; i.p.) on brain edema progression were evaluated. The results showed that rapamycin treatment significantly reduced the infarct volume, the water content of the brain tissue and the Evans blue extravasation through the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Rapamycin treatment could improve histological appearance of the brain tissue, increased the capillary lumen space and maintain the integrity of BBB. Rapamycin also inhibited matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression. These data imply that rapamycin could improve brain edema progression after reperfusion injury through maintaining BBB integrity and inhibiting MMP9 and AQP4 expression. The data of this study provide a new possible approach for improving brain edema after cerebral ischemia reperfusion by administration of rapamycin.     

依达拉奉对脑缺血大鼠大脑皮质Notch-1表达的影响

目的:探讨依达拉奉对脑缺血大鼠大脑皮质Notch-1表达的影响。方法:应用微创开颅法复制大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞(middle cerebral artery occlusion,MCAO)模型。将SD大鼠随机分为假手术组(Sham组)、模型组(MCAO组)和依达拉奉组(E组)。应用TTC染色测定大鼠MCAO后梗死体积,免疫组化单标、荧光双标、Realtime PCR和Western Blot技术检测大鼠MCAO后不同时间点大脑皮质Notch-1的表达变化。结果:(1)TTC染色显示依达拉奉治疗组大鼠脑缺血梗死区域明显缩小,梗死体积与MCAO组比较有显著差异(P0.05);(2)免疫组化单标染色显示Sham组大鼠大脑皮层未见Notch-1阳性细胞表达,MCAO组于1 d、3 d及7 d在缺血半暗区可见大量Notch-1阳性细胞,依达拉奉可减少大鼠大脑皮层Notch-1阳性细胞数(P0.05);(3)荧光双标染色显示缺血半暗区见大量呈激活状态的小胶质细胞和Notch-1阳性细胞,小胶质细胞有Notch-1表达,依达拉奉可降低Notch-1在小胶质细胞中的表达;(4)RT-PCR和Western Blot结果显示依达拉奉可明显降低MCAO大鼠Notch-1的mRNA和蛋白表达(P0.05)。结论:大鼠脑缺血后小胶质细胞大量激活并表达Notch-1信号;依达拉奉可能通过Notch-1信号通路抑制小胶质细胞的激活,对缺血后脑组织发挥保护作用。     

局灶性脑缺血大鼠脑组织皮质运动区和海马星形胶质细胞的动态变化

目的 观察大鼠局灶性脑缺血后皮质运动区和海马星形胶质细胞的变化。方法 雄性SD大鼠144只,按随机数字法分成正常组、假手术组和手术组,每组48只。手术组用大脑中动脉电凝术(MCAO)建立局灶性脑缺血模型;假手术组的操作步骤和手术组相同,只是不将暴露的大脑中动脉凝闭;正常组不做任何处理。应用免疫组化检测正常组、假手术组以及手术组术后1、2、3、5、7、14、28、56 d皮质运动区和海马星形胶质细胞神经胶质酸性蛋白(GFAP)表达的变化。结果与正常组和假手术组比较,手术组大鼠缺血侧和健侧MCAO术后皮质运动区GFAP阳性细胞计数术后第1天明显降低,第3天开始升高,缺血侧和健侧分别于术后第7天、第5天升至最高(85.6±3.3、75.3±2.9),随后逐渐下降并均在术后第14天出现第2个低谷,其后又开始逐渐上升接近正常。与正常组和假手术组比较,手术组海马CA1区GFAP阳性细胞计数缺血侧和健侧自术后第1天即开始升高,术后第7天升至最高( 106.5±3.6、108.4±3.0),其后进入平台期;CA2区、CA3区缺血侧和健侧术后第3天开始明显升高,CA2区缺血及健侧最高值则分别出现在术后第5天(106.9±4.4)、第7天(107.5±3.8);CA3区为第5天(130.9±3.7)、第5天(129.2±4.0),术后第14天开始下降,但仍然高于正常组和假手术组。结论 大鼠局灶性脑缺血后,不同脑区星形胶质细胞的表达随时间变化的模式不同,在皮质运动区存在两谷一峰的现象,在海马表达逐渐增强,并维持在一个较高的水平,这种差别可能与不同脑区神经的可塑性有关。     

骨髓间充质干细胞移植大鼠脑缺血区微血管密度和肝细胞生长因子的表达

背景：应用骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗脑缺血可促进损伤神经功能的恢复,目前其作用机制尚未明确。 目的：分析骨髓间充质干细胞移植对大鼠脑缺血保护作用的机制。 方法：采用线栓法复制大鼠大脑中动脉栓塞模型,随机分为假手术组、大脑中动脉栓塞组、溶剂对照组和骨髓间充质干细胞组。骨髓间充质干细胞组于脑梗死1 d后经侧脑室注射入骨髓间充质干细胞,溶剂对照组则注射同等剂量的PBS。 结果与结论：大鼠脑缺血后缺血区皮质可见大量的微血管生成,2周达高峰。骨髓间充质干细胞组缺血区微血管密度显著高于大脑中动脉栓塞组和溶剂对照组(P < 0.01)。治疗后4,7,14 d骨髓间充质干细胞组脑组织中肝细胞生长因子的表达水平显著高于大脑中动脉栓塞组和溶剂对照组(P < 0.01)。提示骨髓间充质干细胞移植可促进大鼠缺血区微血管生成,改善缺血区血运,从而改善脑缺血大鼠的神经功能。     

Time-dependent increase in Nogo-A expression after focal cerebral ischemia in marmoset monkeys

Nogo-A is a myelin-associated protein that has been shown to inhibit axonal sprouting after lesions to the CNS. Several studies have demonstrated that blocking the activity or expression of this inhibitor can induce structural and functional recovery after CNS lesions. However, there are limited and contradictory data on the expression of Nogo-A after CNS lesions. In the present study, marmoset monkeys received permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAo). Two, 3, or 4 months after the onset of injury brain sections were stained for Nogo-A protein. Two sham operated marmosets were included as a control. Nogo-A protein expression was quantified in white matter and grey matter in the areas adjacent to the lesion (or the equivalent areas in the intact side). At 2 months after injury, but not at 3 or 4 months, there was a significant increase in the number of oligodendrocytes that were Nogo-A immunopositive. This increase was observed in white matter structures that were adjacent to the lesion (e.g. corona radiate (CR)); but not in: white matter structures distal to the lesion (e.g. corpus callosum (CC)); cortical regions adjacent to the lesion; contralateral regions or in sham operated marmosets. These data suggest that Nogo-A levels are significantly increased within oligodendrocytes in areas adjacent to the lesion up to 2 months following cerebral ischaemia. Future studies will determine whether this offers the opportunity to promote plasticity by targeting Nogo-A weeks or months following stroke.     

Gene expression profiling of the rat hippocampus one month after focal cerebral ischemia followed by enriched environment

Functional recovery after experimental stroke in rats is enhanced by environmental enrichment by stimulating plastic changes in brain regions outside the lesion, but the molecular mechanisms are not known. We investigated the effect of environmental enrichment after focal cerebral ischemia on cognitive recovery and hippocampal gene expression using microarray analysis. Rats placed in enriched environment (EE) for 1 month after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) showed significantly improved spatial memory in the Morris water maze compared to rats housed alone after MCAo. Microarray analysis suggested several EE-induced differences in neuronal plasticity-related genes, but these changes could not be confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. This study highlights some of the potential problems associated with gene expression profiling of brain tissues. Further studies at earlier time points and in additional subregions of the brain are of interest in the search for molecular mechanisms behind EE-induced neuronal plasticity after ischemic stroke.     

亚低温对大鼠缺血性脑损伤后SOCS3表达的影响

目的观察大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注后不同时间点细胞因子信号转导抑制因子-3(supressor of cytokine signaling 3,SOCS3)的表达情况及实施亚低温后的变化,进一步探讨亚低温的脑保护作用。方法线栓法制作大鼠大脑中动脉栓塞局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型,同时给予亚低温治疗。HE染色观察病理形态改变,免疫组化法检测SOCS3的表达,TUNEL法检测凋亡细胞。结果与假手术组相比,常温缺血组于再灌注3 h后SOCS3的表达开始增强,至24 h达高峰,7天时仍有表达;亚低温缺血组各时间点表达均明显高于常温缺血组(P<0.05);常温缺血组凋亡阳性细胞数随再灌注时间的延长而逐渐增多,至72h达高峰;亚低温缺血组各时间点的表达均明显少于常温缺血组(P<0.05)。结论脑缺血再灌注损伤后SOCS3的表达增强,亚低温可能通过促进SOCS3的表达发挥缺血后抗神经元凋亡的作用。     

Aggravated chronic brain injury after focal cerebral ischemia in aquaporin-4-deficient mice

Late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) of excitatory synaptic transmission at thalamic input synapses onto the lateral amygdala (T-LA synapses) has been proposed as a cellular substrate for long-term fear memory. This notion is evidenced primarily by previous reports in which the same pharmacological treatments block both T-LA L-LTP and the consolidation of fear memory. In this study, we report that fear conditioning occludes L-LTP at T-LA synapses in brain slices prepared after fear memory consolidation. L-LTP was restored either when synaptic depotentiation was induced prior to L-LTP induction in brain slices prepared from conditioned rats or when brain slices were prepared from conditioned rats that had been exposed to subsequent fear extinction, which is a behavior paradigm known to induce in vivo synaptic depotentiation at T-LA synapses. These results suggest that fear conditioning recruits L-LTP-like mechanisms that are reversible and saturable at T-LA synapses.     

Aggravated chronic brain injury after focal cerebral ischemia in aquaporin-4-deficient mice

The water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is important in brain water homeostasis, and is also involved in astrocyte growth and glial scar formation. It has been reported that AQP4 deficiency attenuates acute ischemic brain injury as a result of reducing cytotoxic edema. Here, we determined whether AQP4 deficiency influences chronic brain injury after focal cerebral ischemia induced by 30 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). AQP4^−/− mice exhibited a lower survival rate and less body weight gain than wild-type mice, but their neurological deficits were similar to wild-type mice during 35 days after MCAO. At 35 days after MCAO, AQP4^−/− mice showed more severe brain atrophy and cavity formation in the ischemic hemisphere as well as more neuronal loss in the hippocampus. Furthermore, astrocyte proliferation and glial scar formation were impaired in AQP4^−/− mice. Therefore, AQP4 deficiency complicated by astrocyte dysfunction aggravates chronic brain injury after focal cerebral ischemia, suggesting that AQP4 may be important in the chronic phase of the post-ischemic recovery process.