Effects of Exercise Preconditioning on Blood-brain Barrier Permeability in Rats after Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the effects of exercise preconditioning on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and connexin 43 (Cx43) and pannexin 1 (Panx1) protein after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Methods:Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n = 18), model group (n = 18) and exercise preconditioning group (n = 18). The exercise preconditioning group was trained with treadmill for three weeks before modeling. The middle cerebral arteries were occluded in the model group and the exercise preconditioning group using the modified Koizumi suture. After reperfusion of 24 hours, the rats were assessed with modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS). The permeability of BBB was observed with Evans blue (EB). The expression of Cx43 and Panx1 was detected with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in the ischemic tissues. Results:Compared with the model group, the mNSS score decreased in the exercise preconditioning group (P < 0.05), while the Evans blue content and the expression of Cx43 and Panx1 decreased (P < 0.05), as well as the the positive areas of Cx43 and Panx1 (P < 0.05). Conclusion:Exercise preconditioning can improve the permeability of BBB in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats, which may associate with down-regulation of Cx43 and Panx1, to protect brain from injury.