Protective effect of hydrogen sulfide on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and its mechanism / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To investigate the protective effects of hydrogen sulfide ( H2 S) on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and the possible mechanisms. Methods Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups randomly sham-operated group, cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion ( I/R) group and sodium hydro-sulfide ( NaHS ) + I/R group. The left temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO ) model was established by the line-embolism method. After rats were suffered 2h/24h ischemia/reperfusion stress, the mortality rate was evaluated, and the nervous function-al defect degree was evaluated by Longe scoring, the volumes of cerebral infarction was evaluated by 2 ,3 ,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride ( TTC) staining, and the expression of P2X7 receptor protein in brain tissue was detected by the immunofluorescence method. Results The mortality rate in NaHS + I/R rats ( 29.41%) was obviously lower than those of I/R group ( 42 . 86%) . The nervous defect scores in NaHS + I/R rats were significant lower than those of I/R group ( P <0.05 ) . The volumes of cerebral infarction in NaHS +I/R group (21.88% ±3.53%) were significant lower than those of I/R group ( 36.71% ±3.73%) ( P <0.01 ) . The results of immunofluorescence showed that the positive expression cells of P2X7 receptor protein in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 area of I/R group were significantly higher than those of sham-op-erated group(P<0. 01). However, compared with I/R group, the positive expression cells of P2X7 receptor protein in cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 area of NaHS + I/R group were significantly decreased ( P<0. 01). Conclusions H2S exerts the neuroprotective effect on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, and the protective mechanism might be associated with down-regulating the expression of P2X7 receptor protein in brain tissue.