Changes of glucose transporter-3 gene expression in penumbra following ischemia and reperfusion of brain in rats / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the volume percentage of infarct and expression level of glucose transporter-3 (GLUT3) transcription and protein at different ischemic time points and different reperfusion time points in rat focal cerebral ischemic penumbra. METHODS: Focal ischemic models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats were made by inserting nylon thread. Brain samples were harvested from ischemic penumbra. Infarct volume was analyzed quantitatively by Kontron IBAS 2.5 image auto-analyses system. The change of GLUT3 mRNA was assessed by RT-PCR, and the expression of GLUT3 protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The infarction volume in MCAO 1 h/R group was obviously smaller than that in MCAO 3 h/R group. GLUT3 began to ascend at 3 h in MCAO 1 h/R group, reached to climax at 24 h and remained higher than normal at 1 week. In contrast, in the MCAO 3 h/R group, GLUT3 had a descent at 3 h. Later on, it ascended rapidly, and reached climax at 24 h. At 1 week, it approached to normal. The expression level of GLUT3 protein corresponds with that of mRNA. CONCLUSION: GLUT3 expression is up-regulated in the penumbra region after focal cerebral ischemia, it may be a protective reaction against ischemia/reperfusion injury. [