Research Article

Neuroprotective effects of Bcl-2 overexpression on nerve cells of rats with acute cerebral infarction

Published: July 13, 2015
Genet. Mol. Res. 14 (3) : 7696-7703 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.July.13.15
Cite this Article:
H.R. Zhang, J.H. Peng, G.Y. Zhu, R.X. Xu (2015). Neuroprotective effects of Bcl-2 overexpression on nerve cells of rats with acute cerebral infarction. Genet. Mol. Res. 14(3): 7696-7703. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.July.13.15
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Abstract

We aimed to investigate the influence of lentiviral-medi­ated Bcl-2 overexpression in cerebral tissues of rats with acute cerebral infarction. Forty-five rats were randomly divided into sham, model, and treatment groups. The sham and model groups were administered a control lentiviral vector via the intracranial arteries 10 days before surgery, while the treatment group received lentivirus encoding a Bcl-2 overexpression vector. We induced cerebral artery infarction using a suture-occlusion method and analyzed the cerebral expression levels of apoptosis-related genes (caspase-3, Bax), total cerebral apoptosis, range of cerebral tissue infarction, and changes in nerve cell function after 72 h. The Bcl-2-encoding lentivirus was well expressed in rat ce­rebral tissues. The treatment group had significantly higher expression levels of Bcl-2 than the other two groups. After cerebral infarction, the model group had significantly increased expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax protein in cerebral tissues than the sham (P < 0.05). Expres­sion of these apoptosis-related proteins in the treatment group was ob­viously lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05), but significantly higher than in the sham group (P < 0.05). Compared to sham, neuronal apoptosis levels and infarction range of cerebral tissues was increased in the model and treatment groups; however, these values in the treat­ment group were significantly lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05). Importantly, the treatment group had significantly decreased neurological impairment scores (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Bcl-2 over­expression can decrease neuronal apoptosis in rat cerebral tissue, and thus is neuroprotective after cerebral ischemia.

We aimed to investigate the influence of lentiviral-medi­ated Bcl-2 overexpression in cerebral tissues of rats with acute cerebral infarction. Forty-five rats were randomly divided into sham, model, and treatment groups. The sham and model groups were administered a control lentiviral vector via the intracranial arteries 10 days before surgery, while the treatment group received lentivirus encoding a Bcl-2 overexpression vector. We induced cerebral artery infarction using a suture-occlusion method and analyzed the cerebral expression levels of apoptosis-related genes (caspase-3, Bax), total cerebral apoptosis, range of cerebral tissue infarction, and changes in nerve cell function after 72 h. The Bcl-2-encoding lentivirus was well expressed in rat ce­rebral tissues. The treatment group had significantly higher expression levels of Bcl-2 than the other two groups. After cerebral infarction, the model group had significantly increased expression levels of caspase-3 and Bax protein in cerebral tissues than the sham (P < 0.05). Expres­sion of these apoptosis-related proteins in the treatment group was ob­viously lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05), but significantly higher than in the sham group (P < 0.05). Compared to sham, neuronal apoptosis levels and infarction range of cerebral tissues was increased in the model and treatment groups; however, these values in the treat­ment group were significantly lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05). Importantly, the treatment group had significantly decreased neurological impairment scores (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Bcl-2 over­expression can decrease neuronal apoptosis in rat cerebral tissue, and thus is neuroprotective after cerebral ischemia.

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