ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the roles of resveratrol in reducing neuroinflammation and improving neurobehavioral functions after germinal matrix hemorrhage (GMH) in neonatal rat model.Methods:GMH model was established intraparenchymally injecting bacterial collagenase in 7-day-old SD rats. 108 rats were randomly assigned into 18 groups (6 in each group), including 4 sham groups, GMH (12 h, 24 h, 72 h, 7 d) groups, 3 GMH+vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO) groups, 5 GMH+resveratrol (10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 1 000 mg/kg) groups and 2 GMH+resveratrol+EX527 (SIRT1 inhibitor) groups. Negative geotaxis and righting reflex tests were used to evaluate the short-term neurobehavior. Water maze, foot fault and Rotor-Rod tests were used to assess the long-term neurobehavior. Immunofluorescence was used to quantify the IL-1β and MPO positive cells (inflammatory markers) in peri-hematoma area. Western blot was used to evaluate the expression of relevant proteins in the brain.Results:Endogenous sirtuin-1(SIRT1) decreased to the lowest level at 24 h and then increased gradually. Phosphorylated NF-κB increased at 12 h, peaked at 72 h and returned to normal level at 7 d after GMH. Compared with the control group and other doses groups, GMH treated with resveratrol (100 mg/kg) had higher short-term behavioral scores at 48 h and 72 h. Compared with the control group, the resveratrol (100 mg/kg) group also had higher scores in water maze, foot fault and Rotor-Rod tests 22 days later. Immunofluorescence showed less positive IL-1β and MPO cells around hematoma in GMH+resveratrol group than both GMH+vehicle group and GMH+resveratrol+EX527 group. Western blot indicated that IL-1, TNF-α and IL-6 expressions were decreased in GMH+resveratrol group and Ex527 could offset the effects of resveratrol.Conclusions:Resveratrol (optimal dose: 100 mg/kg) can improve the short-term and long-term neurobehavioral functions of neonatal GMH rats. It can reduce GMH cells with positive inflammatory markers around the hematoma, possibly via inhibition of the SIRT1/NF-κB pathway. Resveratrol may be promising for the treatment of GMH patients.