Upregulation of albumin expression in focal ischemic rat brain

To gain insight into the early and late changes in protein expression following focal transient cerebral ischemia in rat, proteomic approach was undertaken. Proteomic profiling using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated upregulation of albumin protein after 2 h of ischemia and 22 h of reperfusion among the other altered proteins. Further, the albumin overexpression was verified by quantitative real time PCR at mRNA level, validated by western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Although, exogenous human albumin therapy is already under clinical trials for cerebral ischemia, its endogenous expression in ischemic rat brain at mRNA and protein levels has not been investigated as yet. Here we report for the first time de novo synthesis of albumin in the ischemic rat brain. This study paves the way for further investigation of signaling mechanisms leading to albumin overexpression, so that it can be exploited as a therapeutic intervention.