黄芪甲苷对脑缺血/再灌注损伤大鼠细胞自噬的影响

目的:探讨黄芪甲苷对脑缺血/再灌注损伤大鼠细胞自噬的影响。方法:选取清洁级雄性SD大鼠70只随机分为假手术组、脑缺血/再灌注组、溶剂对照组、黄芪甲苷组、黄芪甲苷+自噬抑制剂组、自噬抑制剂组和自噬激活剂组。采用线栓法建立大鼠局灶性脑缺血/再灌注损伤模型。观察大鼠神经缺损症状,根据Zea Longa评分标准挑选模型成功的大鼠;采用TTC染色法检测大鼠脑梗死体积;尼氏染色观察大鼠神经细胞形态学变化;透射电子显微镜观察细胞自噬现象;Western blot检测beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ蛋白表达量的变化。结果:假手术组无神经缺损症状,未出现脑梗死灶,尼氏体丰富、染色均匀。与假手术组相比,脑缺血/再灌注组出现明显的脑梗死灶,神经细胞坏死增多,尼氏体数量减少、着色较浅,透射电镜下可见典型的自噬体,自噬标志蛋白beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ表达增加(P 0. 05)。与脑缺血/再灌注组相比,黄芪甲苷组和自噬激活剂组可明显减小脑梗死体积,神经细胞有不同程度的恢复,尼氏体稍增多,自噬体数量、beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ表达量均增加(P 0. 05);自噬抑制剂组脑梗死体积增大,神经细胞坏死严重,尼氏体减少,着色变浅,自噬体数量、beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ表达量均减少(P 0. 05);溶剂对照组无明显变化。与黄芪甲苷组比较,黄芪甲苷+自噬抑制剂组和自噬抑制剂组脑梗死体积增加,神经细胞坏死增多,尼氏体数量减少,自噬体数量、beclin-1和LC3-Ⅱ表达量降低(P 0. 05)。结论:黄芪甲苷可通过激活自噬而减轻脑缺血/再灌注损伤,从而发挥神经保护作用。

Effects of astragaloside IV on autophagy in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

AIM: To investigate the effects of astragaloside IV (AS-IV) on autophagy in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: The focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion of rat left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced by suture method. Male SD rats (n=70) were randomly divided into sham operation group, I/R group, solvent control group, AS-IV group, AS-IV+autophagy inhibitor (3-methyladenine, 3-MA) group, 3-MA group and autophagy activator (rapamycin, Rapa) group. Except for sham operation group, the rats in other groups were subjected to ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion for 24 h. The rats with successful modeling were selected according to Zea Longa scoring criteria. The volume of cerebral infarction was measured by TTC staining. The morphological changes of nerve cells in the rats were observed with Nissl staining. The phenomenon of autophagy was observed under transmission electron microscope. The protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: No neurological deficit in sham operation group was observed, and the cerebral infarction was not found. Compared with sham operation group, obvious cerebral infarction was observed, the Nissl bodies were small in size and number and stained light, typical autophagosomes were observed, and the protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ was increased in I/R group (P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, the volume of cerebral infarction was decreased obviously, neurological deficit restored significantly, and the number of autophagosomes and the protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ were increased in AS-IV group and Rapa group (P<0.05). However, no significant difference between solvent control group and I/R group was observed (P>0.05). Compared with AS-IV group, the neurological deficit was serious, the volume of cerebral infarction and the number of autophagosomes were increased, while the expression of beclin-1 and LC3-Ⅱ was decreased in AS-IV+3-MA group and 3-MA group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Astragaloside IV may play an important role in atte-nuating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating autophagy.