Oxidative injury to the endoplasmic reticulum in mouse brains after transient focal ischemia

Oxidative damage to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) could be involved in ischemic neuronal cell death because this organelle is susceptible to reactive oxygen species. Using wild-type mice and copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) transgenic mice, we induced focal cerebral ischemia and compared neuronal degeneration and ER stress, that is, phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2alpha (eIF2alpha) and RNA-dependent protein kinase-like ER eIF2alpha kinase (PERK). We found that neurons with severe and prolonged phosphorylation of eIF2alpha and PERK underwent later degeneration, and that this was partially prevented by SOD1 overexpression. Signals for superoxide production and phospho-PERK were colocalized, which further indicates a pivotal role for superoxide in ER damage. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of oxidative ER stress and found that detachment of glucose-regulated protein 78 from PERK was the key step. We conclude that ER damage is involved in oxidative neuronal injury in the brain after ischemia/reperfusion.     

瘦素对局灶性脑缺血后内质网应激相关蛋白的作用

目的探讨瘦素对大鼠局灶性脑缺血后内质网应激相关蛋白的影响。方法 SD大鼠40只,随机分为假手术组、脑缺血组、脑缺血瘦素预处理组,线栓法制备大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞(middle cerebral artery occlusion,MCAO)模型,在闭塞血管前3 h皮下注射瘦素,于闭塞血管6 h后采用Longa 5分制量表进行神经功能评分、称量体重及脑水肿变化,并灌注取脑,采用免疫荧光化学法检测内质网应激相关蛋白葡萄糖调节蛋白78(glucoseregulated protein 78,GRP78)及C/EBP同源蛋白(C/EBP-homologous protein,CHOP)表达。结果脑缺血瘦素预处理组和脑缺血组体重变化未见差异(P0.05);脑缺血瘦素预处理组神经功能评分(1.90±0.31 vs.2.50±0.52,P0.05)和脑水肿程度(3.60±0.52 vs.7.70±0.94,P0.001)明显轻于脑缺血组,同时脑缺血瘦素预处理组GRP78表达明显高于脑缺血组(48.69±5.06 vs.35.78±4.35,P0.01),CHOP表达明显低于脑缺血组(38.81±5.34 vs.60.24±4.11,P0.01)。结论瘦素可减少神经功能缺损并可能与其上调GRP78蛋白,下调CHOP蛋白来减弱脑缺血导致的内质网应激有关。     

Comparison of 12, 24 and 48 h of systemic hypothermia on outcome after permanent focal ischemia in rat

Mild hypothermia reduces injury in models of global and focal cerebral ischemia even when initiated after the insult. Neuroprotection depends critically upon the duration of hypothermia with longer treatments often being more efficacious. However, the ideal treatment duration is not known for most insults and this knowledge would facilitate clinical studies. Thus, we compared 12, 24 and 48 h of systemic hypothermia (33 °C vs. normothermia) initiated 1 h after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO), which was produced by permanent occlusion of the carotid arteries and cauterization of the distal MCA in rat. Behavioral recovery and lesion volume were determined 7 days after pMCAO. All three treatments significantly and equally attenuated neurological deficits (e.g., forelimb placing response). Conversely, stepping error rate in the horizontal ladder test was significantly reduced only by the 24-h (18.7%) and 48-h treatments (11.7%) compared to normothermic rats (34.4%), and the 48-h treatment was significantly better than the 12-h treatment (28.8%). Similarly, brain injury was significantly reduced by 24-h (78.8 mm³ lesion volume) and 48-h (66.8 mm³) treatments compared to normothermia (142.6 mm³), and the 48-h treatment was significantly better than the 12-h duration (114.6 mm³). In separate experiments cerebral edema was measured via wet–dry weight measurements and significantly reduced by hypothermia (e.g., from 83.7% water in the injured cortex of normothermic rats to 81.4% in rats cooled for one day), but for this there were no significant duration effects. In summary, prolonged hypothermia treatment provides superior protection overall, but this is not explained by reductions in edema.     

Inhibiting caspase-3 activity blocks beta-catenin degradation after focal ischemia in rat

Beta-catenin can be cleaved by caspase-3 or degraded by activated glycogen synthase kinase-3beta via phosphorylating beta-catenin. We tested the hypothesis that beta-catenin undergoes degradation after stroke, and its degradation is dependent on caspase activity. Stroke was generated by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion and 1 h of transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in rats. Active caspase-3 was expressed in the ischemic cortex from 5 to 48 h after stroke, whereas beta-catenin markedly degraded at 24 and 48 h after stroke. The caspase 3-specific inhibitor, Z-DQMD-FMK, attenuated beta-catenin degradation, but it did not affect phosphorylation of both beta-catenin and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta. In conclusion, beta-catenin degraded after stroke, and its degradation was caspase-3 dependent.     

Activation of nuclear factor-kappaB in the rat brain after transient focal ischemia

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) becomes activated under inflammatory conditions and triggers induction of gene expression. Here, activation of NF-kappaB was studied after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat. Expression of p65 and p50, protein subunits of NF-kappaB, was examined by Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry for p65 was carried out. Double-labelling with specific markers for astroglia and microglia was used for cell type identification. Neurons located within and surrounding the ischemic core were identified during the first 24 h post-ischemia by using an antibody against 72-kDa heat shock protein. NF-kappaB binding activity was evaluated at different times post-ischemia with electrophoretic mobility gel shift assays. The results showed constitutive expression of p65 and p50, and NF-kappaB binding activity. Basal p65 was seen in certain neurons and resting astrocytes. Constitutive NF-kappaB binding activity was attributable to one main protein complex possibly formed in neurons and astrocytes, although two minor complexes were also detected. At 1 day post-ischemia selective induction of p65 was seen in neurons located in a penumbra-like area. At this time, however, no disturbances of basal NF-kappaB binding activity were found. Western blotting showed delayed induction of p65 several days after ischemia, whereas no changes were detected for p50. From 4 days post-ischemia, a substantial increase in the amount of p65 was detected due to induction in reactive astrocytes and microglia/macrophages. This was correlated with a robust enhancement of NF-kappaB binding activity with formation of three major specific complexes binding DNA. It is proposed that the highly inducible NF-kappaB complexes resulted from induction of p65 and activation of NF-kappaB in post-ischemic reactive glia.     

Acidosis causes endoplasmic reticulum stress and caspase-12-mediated astrocyte death.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress leads to activation of caspase-12, which in turn can lead to activation of caspase-3 and cell death. Here we report that transient acidosis induces ER stress and caspase-12-mediated cell death in mouse astrocytes. After a 3-hour incubation at pH 6.0, astrocytes exhibited delayed cell death associated with nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Cell death was reduced by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, further suggesting an active cell death program. Acidosis increased the expression of the ER chaperone protein GRP-78, indicative of ER stress. Acidosis also increased caspase-12 mRNA expression, caspase-12 protein expression, cleavage of caspase-12 to its active form, and activation of caspase-3. Each of these effects was suppressed in astrocytes pretreated with caspase-12 antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligodeoxynucleotides (PMOs). Caspase-12 antisense PMOs also reduced the cell death induced by acidosis. Immunoprecipitation studies showed dissociation of both caspase-12 and Ire1-alpha from GRP-78, thereby suggesting a mechanism by which acidosis can initiate the ER stress response. To evaluate caspase-12 activation in vivo, rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery ischemia-reperfusion. Immunostaining of brain sections harvested 24 hours later showed increased caspase-12 expression and nuclear condensation in astrocytes of the periinfarct region exposed to acidosis during ischemia. These findings suggest that acidosis induces ER stress and caspase-12 activation, and that these changes may contribute to delayed cell death after ischemia.     

Activation of NF-kB and ERK1/2 after permanent focal ischemia is abolished by simvastatin treatment

We investigated the effects of simvastatin treatment on the expression of IL-1beta and MCP-1, the activity of NF-kB, and the signaling pathways related to NF-kB activation in a rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO). IL-1beta and MCP-1 expression, determined using RT-PCR, was enhanced by pMCAO; this effect was inhibited by the administration of simvastatin before ischemia. Pre-treatment with simvastatin abolished the ischemia-induced activation of NF-kB observed in vehicle-treated animals. The evaluation of signal transduction pathways, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), SAPK/JNK 46/54 and p38, indicated that only ERK1/2 phosphorylation was enhanced by ischemia, and this activation was prevented by simvastatin. ERK1/2-inhibitor, U0126, reduced brain ischemia but not cytokine induction. These results provide evidence that the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor induces its effect in the protection of ischemic brain damage with a more complex mechanism which also involve anti-inflammatory properties rather than simple inhibition of ERK1/2 signaling pathway.     

Differential changes of bax, caspase-3 and p21 mRNA expression after transient focal brain ischemia in the rat

Recent studies of transient focal ischemia have focused interest on apoptotic mechanisms of neuronal cell death involving constitutive pro-apoptotic proteins. The finding of specific patterns of novel gene expression might indicate the activation of pro-apoptotic genes in previously ischemic areas. Thus, we investigated gene expression for the pro-apoptotic regulators, Bax and caspase-3, after transient focal brain ischemia, together with the p53-regulated cell cycle inhibitor, p21/WAF1/CIP1. Reversible occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 2 h was carried out in halothane-anesthetized rats using the poly-L-lysine coated filament method. In situ hybridization was performed at 0, 1, 3, 6 h and 1, 3 and 7 d of recirculation and in sham controls. Radioactive antisense probes served for detection of bax, p21 and caspase-3 mRNAs on brain sections, and quantitative film autoradiography was combined with image-averaging techniques. Bax mRNA tended to decline after focal brain ischemia within 1 d. p21 mRNA was upregulated with a perifocal pattern at 3 h and 1 d after ischemia whereas the ischemic regions themselves failed to show significant upregulation. Caspase-3 mRNA was elevated in the resistant dorsomedial cortex at 1 d. A pro-apoptotic pattern of novel gene expression, involving Bax and caspase-3, was not observed after transient focal brain ischemia. Rather, the perifocal expression of p21 and caspase-3 mRNAs observed at 1 d after ischemia points to reactive changes in resistant brain areas.     

Treatments (12 and 48 h) with systemic and brain-selective hypothermia techniques after permanent focal cerebral ischemia in rat

Mild hypothermia lessens brain injury when initiated after the onset of global or focal ischemia. The present study sought to determine whether cooling to ∼ 33 °C provides enduring benefit when initiated 1 h after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO, via electrocautery) in adult rats and whether protection depends upon treatment duration and cooling technique. In the first experiment, systemic cooling was induced in non-anesthetized rats through a whole-body exposure technique that used fans and water mist. In comparison to normothermic controls, 12- and 48-h bouts of hypothermia significantly lessened functional impairment, such as skilled reaching ability, and lesion volume out to a 1-month survival. In the second experiment, brain-selective cooling was induced in awake rats via a water-cooled metal strip implanted underneath the temporalis muscle overlying the ischemic territory. Use of a 48-h cooling treatment significantly mitigated injury and behavioral impairment whereas a 12-h treatment did not. These findings show that while systemic and focal techniques are effective when initiated after the onset of pMCAO, they differ in efficacy depending upon the treatment duration. A direct and uncomplicated comparison between methods is problematic, however, due to unknown gradients in brain temperature and the use of two separate experiments. In summary, prolonged cooling, even when delayed after onset of pMCAO, provides enduring behavioral and histological protection sufficient to suggest that it will be clinically effective. Nonetheless, further pre-clinical work is needed to improve treatment protocols, such as identifying the optimal depth of cooling, and how these factors interact with cooling method.     

Neuroprotective effects of the CRF1 antagonist R121920 after permanent focal ischemia in the rat.

The neuroprotective effects of a systemically active, highly selective, corticotropin-releasing factor-1 (CRF1) receptor antagonist, R121920 ((7-(dipropylamino)-2,5-dimethyl-3- [2-(dimethylamino)-5-pyridyl] pyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine), was assessed in two rat models of permanent focal cerebral ischemia, where the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded either through the subtemporal approach or using the intraluminal suture technique. R121920 rapidly crossed the blood-brain barrier after intravenous (IV) bolus administration (10 mg/kg), with peak brain concentrations at 5 minutes (2.26 +/- 0.40 microg/mL), which were approximately 2-fold greater than those in plasma (0.98 +/- 0.24 microg/mL). Treatment with R121920 (10 mg/kg IV followed by 5 mg/kg subcutaneously at hourly intervals for 4 hours) significantly (P < 0.001) reduced total (by 40%) and cortical (by 37%) infarct volume at 24 hours after subtemporal MCA occlusion (MCAO). In the intraluminal suture MCAO model, IV administration of R121920 (10 mg/kg) at the time of ischemia onset (and at multiple times thereafter) reduced both hemispheric infarct volume (by 34%, P < 0.001) and brain swelling (by 50%, P < 0.001) when assessed at 24 hours. In this model of focal ischemia, significant reduction (P < 0.05) in both outcome measures was obtained when R121920 administration was delayed up to 1 hour after MCAO. These results further define the antiischemic properties of selective CRF 1 antagonists in two experimental models of permanent focal cerebral ischemia.     

人脑局灶性缺血后海马神经元损伤与半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3的关系

目的研究人脑局灶性缺血后海马神经元损伤与凋亡促进因子半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3(caspase-3)之间的关系.方法选取因脑梗死而死亡的尸检脑标本48例,并按缺血时间(发病至死亡的时间)分为8组,选取因其他疾病死亡(无脑缺血)的尸检脑标本6例为对照组;应用HE染色来观察海马CA1区神经元形态变化;应用caspase-3免疫组化染色及caspase-3 mRNA原位杂交来测定人脑缺血后caspase-3的表达情况;用末端脱氧核糖核酸转移酶介导的缺口末端标记(TUNEL)法标记凋亡神经元;用微管相关蛋白-2(MAP-2)的脱失程度反映神经元的受损程度.结果海马CA1区,缺血8 h可检测到caspase-3免疫组化染色的阳性细胞(8.05个/高倍视野),24 h达高峰(24.85个/高倍视野);caspase-3 mRNA原位杂交阳性表达始于4 h(6.75个/高倍视野),16 h达高峰(17.60个/高倍视野);二者均在72 h后呈明显下降趋势.缺血24 h可检测到TUNEL阳性细胞,持续至72 h.MAP-2免疫活性下降早在4 h 即可检测到,之后持续下降,至72 h几乎无阳性表达细胞.72 h前,caspase-3 mRNA在TUNEL染色下与时间成正相关,相关系数为0.721(P<0.05);使用MAP-2时与时间成负相关,相关系数为0.857(P<0.05).4～16 h,受损神经元形态基本正常;24～48 h细胞凋亡特征明显;72 h后,几乎所有神经元形态均呈现严重病理变化.结论人脑局灶性缺血后病灶同侧的海马神经元发生一系列形态学变化,其演变规律与凋亡促进因子caspase-3有密切相关性.     

NXY-059, a novel free radical trapping compound, reduces cortical infarction after permanent focal cerebral ischemia in the rat

Free radicals have gained wide acceptance as mediators of cerebral ischemic injury. It has previously been reported that a spin trap nitrone, alpha-phenyl-N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN), can reduce infarct volumes in rats subjected to either permanent or transient focal cerebral ischemia. A recent study has demonstrated that NXY-059, a novel free radical trapping nitrone compound, has a neuroprotective effect against transient focal cerebral ischemia. This study was designed to determine the effect of NXY-059 in a rodent model of permanent focal cerebral ischemia. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) by placement of a microaneurysm clip on the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Animals were divided into three groups: (1) physiological saline given as a 1 ml/kg i.v. bolus administered 5 min post MCAO followed immediately by a continuous i.v. infusion of 0.5 ml/h of physiological saline for 24 h (n=10); (2) 30 mg/kg, 1 ml/kg, i.v. bolus of NXY-059 dissolved in physiological saline administered 5 min post MCAO followed immediately by a continuous i.v. infusion of 30 mg/kg/h, 0.5 ml/h, of NXY-059 for 24 h (n=9); (3) 60 mg/kg, 1 ml/kg, i.v. bolus of NXY-059 dissolved in physiological saline administered 5 min post MCAO followed immediately by a continuous i.v. infusion of 60 mg/kg/h, 0.5 ml/h, of NXY-059 for 24 h (n=12). Infarction was quantified after a survival period of 24 h. Differences in infarct volume were examined with one-way ANOVA following Dunnet's multiple comparison test. The percentage of cortical infarction in the saline control group was 22.6 +/- 6.8% (mean+/-S.D.) of contra-lateral hemisphere, and in the 30 mg/kg/h NXY-059-treated group was 17.4% +/- 6.8% (NS). Plasma concentration (microM/l) of NXY-059 in the 30 mg/kg/h group was 80.2 +/- 52.2 (n=9), while in the 60 mg/kg/h group plasma concentration (microM/l) of NXY-059 was 391.0 +/- 207.0 (n=10). Infarction in the 60 mg/kg/h NXY-059-treated group was significantly reduced (P=0.009) to 14.5 +/- 5%. Our preliminary data demonstrate that administration of NXY-059 (60 mg/kg/h for 24 h) ameliorates cortical infarction in rats subjected to permanent focal cerebral ischemia with 24 h survival.     

Early and sequential recruitment of apoptotic effectors after focal permanent ischemia in mice

In experimental models of cerebral ischemia, cells within the damaged territory die by necrosis and by apoptosis that contributes to the expansion of the insult. Apoptotic machinery mobilizes intracellular processes such as induction of Bcl-2 family members, activation of the proteolytic cascade including the caspases, and cleavage of caspase substrates, such as poly(ADP–ribose) polymerase or PARP. Mitochondria play a pivotal role in controlling apoptosis by releasing cytochrome c and modulating redox state, both under the regulation of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) via superoxide anion detoxification. The implication and the kinetics of such events in apoptosis induced after focal permanent ischemia in mice remains to be studied. In a paradigm of ischemic insult induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) in mice, we showed by immunohistochemistry a constitutive expression of caspase-3 that is enhanced after MCAO in neurons localized within the infarcted zone. As a function of time intervals after MCAO, the cytochrome c amount increased in the cytosolic fraction of ischemic cortical extracts. The kinetics of the release was in concordance with the expression of caspase-3 and the subsequent cleavage of PARP appearing before the internucleosomal fragmentation of DNA, the ultimate step of apoptosis. When the apoptotic markers progressively appeared, no changes of Mn SOD activity or Mn SOD expression were detected after MCAO. We can therefore speculate that the recruitment of Mn SOD did not participate per se in the release of cytochrome c elicited after permanent focal ischemia.     

Plasminogen activation in experimental permanent focal cerebral ischemia

BACKGROUND: Previous experimental work using in situ zymography has shown very early increased plasminogen activation in ischemic regions after 3 h of ischemia with and without reperfusion. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the time course and extent of plasminogen activation in long-term permanent focal cerebral ischemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The middle cerebral artery in male Fisher rats was irreversibly occluded by electrocoagulation. Duration of ischemia was 48, 72, and 168 h. Occlusion was controlled in vivo by MRI at day 2. Plasminogen activation was detected by in situ zymography of 10 microm cryosections with an overlay containing plasminogen and the plasmin substrate caseine. Areas of plasminogen activation were compared to structural lesions (immunohistochemical loss of microtubule-associated protein 2; MAP 2). RESULTS: Compared to controls, increased plasminogen activation was observed in the basal ganglia and the cortex of the ischemic hemisphere after 48, 72, and 168 h (affected area of basal ganglia: 44.5+/-21.9, 70.1+/-2.3 and 66.6+/-2.8%, respectively; affected area of cortex: 63.4+/-9.8, 67.7+/-0.7 and 64.0+/-3.7%, respectively). The duration of ischemia had no significant influence on the extent of plasminogen activation. Areas of increased plasminogen activation significantly overlapped with and exceeded areas of MAP 2 loss (P<0.005). DISCUSSION: Permanent focal cerebral ischemia leads to increased plasminogen activation in ischemic regions. This plasminogen activation remains elevated at persistent levels over days. It may contribute to extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption, secondary hemorrhage, and brain edema in subacute stages of ischemic stroke.     

Microvascular structure after embolic focal cerebral ischemia in the rat

OBJECTIVES: We analyze morphological alterations of cerebral neovascularization after stroke using a new 3D imaging software program. METHODS: Male Wistar rats underwent unilateral embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) by a single fibrin rich clot. Subjects were sacrificed from 1 to 28 days post infarct. Vessel perimeters were measured on coronal sections stained with endothelial cell-specific antibody to von Willebrand's factor. Vessel segment lengths, diameters and number of vessels were analyzed on cerebral microvessels perfused with FITC-dextran 14 days after ischemia using LSCM and a 3-D vessel quantification program. RESULTS: The mean number of microvessels with enlarged perimeters significantly increased in the ipsilateral cortex at day 7 when compared to the contralateral cortex (29.7+/-14.7 vs. 3.7+/-2.5, P<0.05). Subsequently, differences in the number of microvessels with enlarged perimeters decreased on days 14 and 28. Fourteen days post-MCA occlusion, microvessel segment length (15.0 vs. 26.0 microm, P<0.05) and diameter (3.14 vs. 3.75 microm, P<0.05) significantly decreased in the ipsilateral hemisphere when compared to the contralateral hemisphere, respectively. Furthermore, the mean total number of these smaller microvessels increased in the ipsilateral hemisphere (57.33+/-14.5 vs. 32.22+/-11.7, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Focal cerebral ischemia induces morphological changes (early dilated microvessels followed by decreased microvessel segment length and diameter) that are consistent with newly generated microvessels.     

脑缺血再灌注神经干细胞原位激活的研究

目的 探讨大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注后不同时间、不同脑部位神经干细胞(NSC)原位激活的变化规律。方法 建立一侧大脑中动脉闭塞缺血再灌注模型,用5-溴脱氧尿苷(BrdU)标记脑内增殖细胞,免疫组化(SP法)技术检测大鼠缺血再灌注不同时间段缺血周边皮质、双侧侧脑室下区(SVZ)、海马齿状回下区(SGZ)具有增殖能力细胞BrdU表达变化。结果 对照组脑组织双侧SVZ、SGZ可见少量BrdU阳性标记细胞;单纯脑缺血2 h组脑组织BrdU阳性细胞数未见明显增加;再灌注3天组,缺血侧皮质、双侧SVZ和SGZBrdU阳性细胞明显增多(P<0.05),7天时达到高峰(P<0.001),11天时下降,且缺血侧与对侧相比,双侧SVZ呈对称分布,而SGZ以缺血侧增加为主(P<0.05)。结论 一侧大脑中动脉闭塞缺血再灌注可致成年大鼠脑内NSC原位激活,且NSC增殖于缺血后1周达到高峰,激活部位以双侧SVZ、缺血侧海马和周边皮质为主。     

Apoptosis and protein expression after focal cerebral ischemia in rat

We used double staining histochemistry to investigate the relationship between apoptotic cell death and selective protein expression associated with DNA damage (p53, Bax, MDM2, Gadd45), DNA repair (PCNA) and cell cycle proteins (cyclin A, cyclin D, cdk2, cdk4) in rats (n=6; control rats, n=5) subjected to transient (2 h) middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and 46 h of reperfusion. Few apoptotic cells were detected in the non-ischemic hemisphere of control rats. In ischemic animals, scattered apoptotic cells were present in the ischemic core and clustered apoptotic cells were present and localized to the inner boundary zone of the ischemic core. Proteins were preferentially localized to the cellular cytoplasm of control rats and in the non-ischemic hemisphere of rats subjected to MCAo. However, after MCAo these proteins were expressed and were preferentially localized to nuclei within the ischemic lesion. DNA damage induced proteins (wt-p53 and p53-response proteins) were preferentially expressed within apoptotic cells after ischemia. DNA repair proteins and cell cycle proteins were preferentially expressed within morphologically intact cells and in reversibly damaged cells in the ischemic areas. The selective expression of proteins associated with DNA damage, DNA repair and cell cycle observed in morphologically intact cells, ischemic injured cells and apoptotic cells suggests a differential role for these proteins in cell survival and apoptosis after stroke.