Protective effect of Grape seed proanthocyanidin on learning disabilities in a rat model with radiation brain injury / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the protective effect of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract ( GSPE) on learning disabilities after radiation injury brain in rats.Methods 120 male Wistar rats were divided into control group,model group,high and low dose GSPE groups.The radiation injury brain models were established using a method of linear accelerator irradiation in 22 Gy.The morphological changes of neu-rons in hippocampus were observed with HE staining; the expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 ( ERK1/2) and growth associated protein-43( GAP-43) were detected by immunohisto-chemistry;the contents of malonalde hyde(MDA) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) were measured respec-tively by thiobarbituric acid( TBA) and xanthine oxidation( XTO) methods;the learning ability was assessed with shuttle box.Results Compared with the model group,the GSPE groups showed a decreased degree of nerve cell morphological injury; and increased ERK1/2 activities((13.20±1.45)/view,(27.40±2.52)/view,(19.80±1.30)/view),GAP-43 expression level((52.93±2.07)/view,(66.50±0.77)/view,(73.05± 2.40)/view) and SOD activities((79.82±5.26) U/mg,(76.20±6.86) U/mg,(80.12±5.76) U/mg)(P<0.05);and decreased the contents of MDA((71.62±1.88) μmol/g,(76.41±1.94) μmol/g,(72.32±1.98)μmol/g)(P<0.05).Shuttle box testing showed that the active avoidance reaction rate was increased(7 d(56.23±2.56)%;14 d(44.66±2.79)%;28 d(50.40±2.16)%)(P<0.05)and passive avoidance latency was shorted(7 d(34.11±1.57)s;14 d(45.52±1.88)s;28 d( 39.52±1.79)s)(P<0.05) in GSPE groups. The above mentioned changes were more significant in high dose of GSPE(P<0.05) .Conclusion GSPE has protective effect on learning disabilities of radiation injuries brain,which is related to enhance ERK1/2 activ-ity and the expression of GAP-43.