Research ReportNeuroprotective effect of bicyclol in rat ischemic stroke: Down-regulates TLR4, TLR9, TRAF6, NF-κB, MMP-9 and up-regulates claudin-5 expression

•Rat pMCAO model is used to analyze bicyclol's protective effect.•Bicyclol ameliorates the neurological deficit, brain edema and infarct volume.•Bicyclol downregulates TLR4, TLR9, TRAF6, NF-κB and MMP-9 expression.•Bicyclol upregulates claudin-5 expression.•Bicyclol has protective effect in the acute phase of cerebral ischemia.

BackgroundInflammatory damage aggravates the cerebral ischemic pathological process and may pave a new way for treatment. Bicyclol has been proved to elicit a series of biologic effects through its anti-inflammatory property in treating hepatitis and hepatic ischemic/reperfusion injury. Whether this protective effect applies to cerebral ischemic injury, we therefore investigated the potential neuroprotective role of bicyclol and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups: permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO), Vehicle (pMCAO+0.5% sodium carboxymethylcellulose), By-L (Vehicle+bicyclol 50 mg/kg), By-H (Vehicle+bicyclol 100 mg/kg) and Sham operated group. Bicyclol was administered intragastrically once a day for 3 days, after 1 h of bicyclol pretreatment on the third day; rat brain ischemia was induced by pMCAO. Neurological deficit, infarct volume, and brain edema were measured at 24 h after stroke. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect the expression of TLR4, TLR9, TRAF6, NF-κB and MMP-9, claudin-5. Results: Compared with pMCAO group, bicyclol significantly ameliorated neurological deficit, decreased infarct volume and edema, and down-regulated the expression of TLR4, TLR9, TRAF6, NF-κB and MMP-9 (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of claudin-5 was increased (P<0.05). Conclusions: Bicyclol has neuroprotective effect on cerebral ischemia, and this protection may be through down-regulating TLR4, TLR9, TRAF6, NF-κB, MMP-9 and up-regulating claudin-5 expression.