ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the role of 1, 4, 5-inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R) in necroptosis of hippocampal neurons induced by sevoflurane anesthesia in aged rats.Methods:Sixty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 18 months, weighing 500-600 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), sevoflurane anesthesia group (group S) and sevoflurane anesthesia + IP3R antagonist group (group S+ I). S and S+ I groups inhaled 2% sevoflurane for 5 h. In group S+ I, IP3 receptor antagonist 2-APB 3 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 10 min before sevoflurane inhalation, and the equal volume of dimethyl sulfoxide was intraperitoneally injected in group C and group S. Morris water maze test was used to test the cognitive function on the day after the end of sevoflurane anesthesia.Then the animals were sacrificed and the brain tissues were obtained for microscopic examination of the pathological changes after HE staining and Nissl staining (with a light microscope) and for determination of the free calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i) and rate of necroptosis of hippocampal neurons (by flow cytometry) and expression of IP3R, receptor-interacting protein kinase-1 (RIPK1), receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) and phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (p-MLKL) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with group C, the escape latency was significantly prolonged, the times of crossing the platform were reduced, the time of staying at the target quadrant was shortened, the [Ca 2+ ] i and necroptosis rate of hippocampal neurons were increased, and the expression of IP3R, RIPK1, RIPK3 and p-MLKL in hippocampal neurons was up-regulated in group S and group S+ I ( P<0.05). Compared with group S, the escape latency was significantly shortened, the times of crossing the platform were increased, the time of staying at the target quadrant was prolonged, the [Ca 2+ ] i and necroptosis rate of hippocampal neurons were decreased, and the expression of IP3R, RIPK1, RIPK3 and p-MLKL in hippocampal neurons was down-regulated in group S+ I ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which sevoflurane induces cognitive dysfunction may be related to the imbalance of calcium homeostasis caused by activation of IP3R and thus inducing programmed necrosis in aged rats.