Effect of dexmedetomidine on permeability of blood-brain barrier in rats subjected to global cerbral ischemia-reperfusion / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine on the permeability of blood-brain barrier in rats subjected to global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).Methods Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 250-300 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =12 each)sham operation group (group S),global cerebral I/R group (group I/R) and dexmedetomidine group (group D).Global cerebral I/R was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries combined with hypotension (MAP was maintained at 35-45 mm Hg) in anesthetized rats.In group D,dexmedetomidine was infused at a rate of 3μg· kg-1 · h-1 until 2 h of reperfusion after a loading dose of dexmedetomidine 3 μg/kg was injected intravenously immediately after onset of I/R.The rats were sacrificed at 24 h of reperfusion and their brains were immediately removed for microscopic examination of hippocampal CA1 region and for determination of the cell apoptosis,brain water content,Evans blue content and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) expression.Results The number of apoptotic cells was significantly larger,and brain water content,Evans blue content and AQP4 expression were higher in groups I/R and D than in group S (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01).The number of apoptotic cells was significantly smaller,and brain water content,and Evans blue content and AQP4 expression were lower in group D than in group I/R (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01).Global cerebral I/R-induced pathological changes were significantly attenuated in group D.Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can decrease the permeability of blood-brain barrier and attenuate global cerebral I/R injury in rats,and down-regulation of AQP4 expression may be involved in the mechanism.