Effect of sevoflurane on the ATPase activity of hippocampal neurons in a rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury via the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway

We aim to investigate the effects of sevoflurane on the ATPase activity of the hippocampal neurons in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) via the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway. Sixty rats were assigned into the normal, model and sevoflurane groups (n = 20, the latter two groups were established as focal cerebral IRI models). The ATPase activity was detected using an ultramicro Na (+)-K (+)-ATP enzyme kit. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the positive protein expression of cAMP and PKA. The hippocampal neurons were assigned to the normal, IRI, IRI + sevoflurane, IRI + forskolin, IRI + H89 and IRI + sevoflurane + H89 groups. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were performed for the expressions of cAMP, PKA, cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The normal and sevoflurane groups exhibited a greater positive protein expression of cAMP and PKA than the model group. Compared with the normal group, the expressions of cAMP, PKA, CREB and BDNF all reduced in the IRI, model and IRI + H89 groups. The sevoflurane group showed higher cAMP, PKA, CREB and BDNF expressions than the model group. Compared with the IRI group, ATPase activity and expressions of cAMP, PKA, CREB and BDNF all increased in the normal, IRI + sevoflurane and IRI + forskolin groups but decreased in the IRI + H89 group. It suggests that sevoflurane could enhance ATPase activity in hippocampal neurons of cerebral IRI rats through activating cAMP-PKA signaling pathway.