Impact of ethyl pyruvate on the cognitive function after splenectomy in aged rats / 临床麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the impact of ethyl pyruvate (EP) on cognitive function and the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) after splenectomy in aged rats.Methods Eighty-four male aged Sprague-Dawley rats, 18 months old, weighing 500-600 g, were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=21 each) by random number table method: control group (group C), surgery group (group S) ethyl pyruvate group (group E) and solution without EP group (group R).Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate cognitive function 5 days before surgery and 1, 3, 7 days after surgery.Group E was injected with EP 40 mg/kg intrapertoneally after splenectomy, group S and group C were injected with equivalent normal saline after splenectomy, group R was injected with equivalent solution without EP.Rats were killed after Morris water maze test, and the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE protein and mRNA in hippocampus were measured by Western blot and RT-PCR methods.Results Compared with group C, the escape latency and swimming distance were significantly prolonged in groups S, E and R 1 and 3 days after surgery, as well as the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE in hippocampus were significantly up-regulated (P＜0.05).Compared with group S, the escape latency and swimming distance were significantly decreased and the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE were down-regulated in group E 1 and 3 days after surgery (P＜0.05).Compared with the preoperative group, the escape latency and swimming distance were significantly prolonged in groups S, E and R 1 and 3 days after surgery (P＜0.05).Conclusion EP may improve cognitive function in aged rats by down regulating the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE in the hippocampus.