Wortmannin通过抑制癫痫大鼠海马自噬活性发挥神经保护作用

目的:探讨癫痫大鼠海马自噬活性的变化及自噬抑制剂wortmannin(WM)对致痫大鼠海马神经元的保护作用。方法:实验大鼠分为对照组、致痫2 h、8 h、16 h、24 h、72 h组和WM干预组。应用HE染色和Nissl染色观察癫痫大鼠海马神经元损伤的变化。免疫印迹检测海马组织微管相关蛋白1轻链3(LC3)Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ的比值作为自噬活性的指标。结果:LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ比值在大鼠癫痫发作2 h时开始升高,24 h达到高峰,持续升高至少72 h。致痫24 h时海马CA1区出现明显神经元损伤和丢失。WM干预组CA1区存活神经元数目(100.88±18.73)显著高于癫痫组(70.16±5.09)(P0.05),LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ的比值低于癫痫组(P0.05)。结论:癫痫发作导致的海马损伤时存在自噬激活现象;WM通过抑制自噬活性减轻癫痫发作所致的海马损伤,具有神经保护作用。

Neuroprotective effect of wortmannin on epileptic rats by inhibiting autophagy

AIM: To investigate the role of autophagy in hippocampus injury induced by seizures and to observe the neuroprotective effects of autophagy inhibitor wortmannin(WM) on epileptic rats.METHODS: The Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, model groups at 2 h, 8 h, 16 h, 24 h or 72 h after seizure induction by pilocarpine, and WM pretreatment group. The methods of HE and Nissl staining were used to evaluate the hippocampus injury. The expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) was detected by Western blotting. The ratio of LC3II to LC3I was calculated and used to represent the activity of autophagy. RESULTS: The significant increase in the ratio of LC3II to LC3I began at 2 h, peaked at 24 h, and maintained at high level at least to 72 h after seizure induction. Obvious neural injury and neuron depletion were observed in hippocampus CA1 area at 24 h after seizure induction. The number of surviving neurons at 24 h was sharply decreased in rats with seizures(75.50±5.92) as compared to the controls(110.67±18.56, P＜0.01). WM significantly decreased the neuron depletion induced by seizures(100.88±18.73, P＜0.05). Moreover, WM significantly decreased the ratio of LC3II to LC3I in rats with seizures at 24 h(P＜0.05). CONCLUSION: Autophagy was activated in hippocampus injury induced by seizures. WM reduces the transformation of LC3II to LC3I to inhibit the autophagy activated by seizures. WM has neuroprotective effect on epileptic rats by increasing the surviving neurons in hippocampus CA1 area.