Protective effect of erythropoietin on neuronal mitochondrial function against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the protective effect of erythropoietin(EPO)on the mitochondria in the brain neurons against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(IR)injury in rats.Methods Thirty SD rats are randomly allocated into 3 groups,namely the EPO group(n=10),IR group(n=10),and shamoperation group(n=10).In EPO group and IR group,the rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)to induce cerebral IR injury,followed by treatment with intraperitonal EPO injection at 3000 U/kg and the same volume of saline,respectively.In the sham operation group,the carofid artery was only isolated without MCAO or subsequent treatment.Seventy-two hours after the IR injury,the mitochondrial membrane potential in the neurons was detected,and the changes in superoxide kismutase(SOD)activity,malondialdehyde(MDA)and nitric oxide(NO)concentrations,and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the neuronal mitochondria were determined.The number of caspase-3-positive neurons in the hippocampus Was observed immunohistochemically. Results The mitochondrial membrane potential and activities of SOD and Na+-K+-ATPase Were significantly higher.whereas the MDA and NO concentrations and the number of caspase-3-postive neurons significantly lower in EPO group than in IR group after the treatment.Conclusion Protecting the neuronal mitochondrial function is one of the important mechanisms of EPO for brain protection against IR injury,and this mitochondrial protection effect is mediated essentially by stabilizing the mitochondrial membrane potential.