半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3抑制剂对大鼠缺血再灌流脑区神经元凋亡的影响

目的探讨半胱氨酸蛋白酶3(caspase3)抑制剂z DEVD fmk对大脑皮层缺血再灌流区神经元凋亡的影响。方法制备大脑中动脉栓塞再灌流大鼠模型,于再灌流前向治疗组缺血侧脑室注射z DEVD fmk(7μg/kg)。采用Western印迹分析、TUNEL和免疫组织化学染色(SPAB法)等方法,检测各组颞顶叶皮层缺血再灌流区caspase3表达和活化、多(ADP核糖)聚合酶(PARP)表达和切割灭活及神经元凋亡。结果未治疗组(A组)、二甲基亚砜对照组(B组)、z DEVD fmk治疗组(C组),再灌流1h及24h缺血脑区的caspase3前体含量分别为16.7±3.0、11.5±3.0、47.5±3.5及76.1±3.5、71.3±6.4、88.2±5.5;12000caspase3切割片段含量分别为8.2±2.3、9.4±1.2、4.3±1.6及59.0±6.3、60.5±7.2、17.3±2.8;PARP含量分别为12.6±3.0、13.9±2.0、53.7±4.1及67.5±8.6、61.1±6.6、93.6±4.1;24000PARP切割片段含量分别为6.0±0.7、6.6±1.2、3.6±1.1及27.4±2.6、25.8±3.2、12.1±2.8(相对灰度值);凋亡神经元密度分别为83.3±7.5、84.3±5.7、45.7±4.0及197.4±11.8、185.2±11.2、99.1±5.8(个/0.1mm2,x±s)。3组各自再灌流不同时间点缺血脑区以上5种指标的差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05～0.001);C组再灌流各时间点缺血脑区以上5种指标与A组及B组对应时间点比较,差异也均有统计学意义(P<0.05～0.001),但A、B两组间比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);各组再灌流不同时间点这5种指标的变化彼此间均呈正相关(r=0.630～0.942,P<0.01)。各组缺血再灌流脑区表达PARP的细胞主要是神经元,但3组间比较其密度差别不大。结论再灌流激发的caspase3表达和活化异常增加使PARP过度切割灭活,是再灌流导致缺血脑区受损神经元凋亡的重要分子机制;z DEVD fmk可通过抑制caspase3活性和自活化,减少PARP切割灭活,阻止受损神经元凋亡。

Effects of caspase-3 inhibitor on the neuronal apoptosis in rat cerebral cortex after ischemia-reperfusion injury

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor on the neuronal apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion region (IRR) of rat cerebral cortex. METHODS: Rats prepared by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion were used as the research model. The animals were divided into A group (untreated), B group (DMSO control) and C group (treated with z-DEVD-fmk). Before reperfusion, z-DEVD-fmk (7 microg/kg) was injected into the ischemic side of ventriculus cerebri of C group rats. The expression and activation of caspase-3, expression and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and apoptotic neurons in the temporal-parietal cortex IRRs (SPAB method) of all the rats were studied using Western blotting, in situ apoptotic detection (TUNEL method) and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In the cerebral IRRs of A, B, C groups reperfused for 1 h and 24 h, the quantities of caspase-3 precursor were 16.7 +/- 3.0, 11.5 +/- 3.0 and 47.5 +/- 3.5, and 76.1 +/- 3.5, 71.3 +/- 6.4 and 88.2 +/- 5.5, respectively; the caspase-3 fragments (12,000) 8.2 +/- 2.3, 9.4 +/- 1.2 and 4.3 +/- 1.6, and 59.0 +/- 6.3, 60.5 +/- 7.2 and 17.3 +/- 2.8, respectively; the PARP 12.6 +/- 3.0, 13.9 +/- 2.0 and 53.7 +/- 4.1, and 67.5 +/- 8.6, 61.1 +/- 6.6 and 93.6 +/- 4.1, respectively; the PARP fragments (24,000) 6.0 +/- 0.7, 6.6 +/- 1.2, 3.6 +/- 1.1, and 27.4 +/- 2.6, 25.8 +/- 3.2, 12.1 +/- 2.8 (relative quantity, x+/- s); the densities of apoptotic neurons 83.3 +/- 7.5, 84.3 +/- 5.7 and 45.7 +/- 4.0, and 197.4 +/- 11.8, 185.2 +/- 11.2 and 99.1 +/- 5.8 (cell number/0.1 mm(2), x+/- s). These results showed that in the cerebral IRRs of both A and B groups, all caspase-3 expression and activation, PARP expression and cleavage, and neuronal apoptosis were increased relevantly along with prolongation of the reperfusion time (P < 0.05 - 0.001). At each time point of the reperfusion, caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage and neuronal apoptosis in the cerebral IRR of C group were significantly less than those of the former two groups (P < 0.05 - 0.001). The variations of the 5 parameters of A, B and C groups correlated positively with one another (r = 0.630 - 0.942, P < 0.01). The cells expressing PARP were mainly neurons in the cerebral IRRs of all the animals, but the difference of their number was not distinct among the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: It is an important mechanism resulting in apoptosis of the injured neurons in the cerebral IRR that caspase-3 expression and activation abnormally increased by the reperfusion have more PARP rapidly inactivated by over-cleavage. z-DEVD-fmk may decrease PARP cleavage by inhibiting activity and auto-activation of caspase-3, and prevent the injured neurons from apoptosis.