机构:[a]College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 250014, Jinan, Shandong Province, China[b]The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, 510405, Guangdong Province, China广东省中医院深圳市中医院深圳医学信息中心[c]Weifang Medical University, 261000, Weifang, Shandong Province, China[d]Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, 250014, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
Axon regeneration after cerebral ischemia in mammals is inadequate to restore function, illustrating the need to design better strategies for improving outcomes. Improvement of axon regeneration has been achieved through fastigial nucleus electrostimulation (FNS) in animal researches. However, the mechanisms underlying this neuroprotection remain poorly understood. Increasing the levels of the second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) enhances axon regeneration, making it an excellent candidate molecule that has therapeutic potential. In the present study, we examined the expression of cAMP signaling in ischemic brain tissues following focal cerebral ischemia. Adult rats were subjected to ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). A dipolar electrode was placed into the cerebellum to stimulate the cerebellar fastigial nucleus for 1 h after ischemia. Neurological deficits and the expressions of cAMP, PKA (protein kinase A) and ROCK (Rho-kinase) were determined. Axonal regeneration was measured by upregulation of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43). The data indicated that FNS significantly enhanced axonal regeneration and motor function recovery after cerebral ischemia. FNS also significantly increased cAMP and PKA levels after ischemic brain injury. All the beneficial effects of FNS were blocked by Rp-cAMP, an antagonist of PKA. Our research suggested that the axonal regeneration conferred by FNS was likely achieved via the regulation of cAMP/PKA pathway.
基金:
Natural Science Foundation of
China (Grant No. 81601018).