Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6274489 | Neuroscience | 2013 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) as a neuroprotective agent in a rat model for ischemic stroke and to compare its neuroprotective effects in conscious normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The effects of subcutaneous IGF-I injection were investigated in both rat strains using the endothelin-1 rat model for ischemic stroke. Motor-sensory functions were measured using the Neurological Deficit Score. Infarct size was assessed by Cresyl Violet staining. Subcutaneous administration of IGF-I resulted in significantly reduced infarct volumes and an increase in motor-sensory functions in normotensive rats. In these rats, IGF-I did not modulate blood flow in the striatum and had no effect on the activation of astrocytes as assessed by GFAP staining. In hypertensive rats, the protective effects of IGF-I were smaller and not always significant. Furthermore, IGF-I significantly reduced microglial activation in the cortex of hypertensive rats, but not in normotensive rats. More detailed studies are required to find out whether the reduction by IGF-I of microglial activation contributes to an impairment IGF-I treatment efficacy. Indeed, we have shown before that microglia in hypertensive rats have different properties compared to those in control rats, as they exhibit a reduced responsiveness to ischemic stroke and lipopolysaccharide.
Keywords
PBSTNFNIHSHRsET-1MCAONDSIGF-IGFAPendothelin-1middle cerebral artery occlusionBrain ischemiainterferonIFNinterleukinstandard error of meanInsulin-like growth factor-Itumor necrosis factorHypertensionPhosphate-buffered salineSEMApesNational Institute of HealthSpontaneously hypertensive ratsNeurological deficit scoreNeurogliaGlial fibrillary acidic protein
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Neuroscience
Neuroscience (General)
Authors
D. De Geyter, W. Stoop, S. Sarre, J. De Keyser, R. Kooijman,