Neuregulin-1 β Plays a Neuroprotective Role by Inhibiting the Cdk5 Signaling Pathway after Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats

This study investigated the effects of neuregulin-1 β (NRG1β) after middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) in rats to evaluate whether they occur via the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)5 signaling pathway. One hundred adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham, MCAO/R, treatment (NRG1β), inhibitor (roscovitine; Ros), and i nhibitor + treatment (Ros + NRG1β) groups. The MCAO/R model was established using the intraluminal thread method. The neurobehavioral function was evaluated by the modified neurological severity score (mNSS). The cerebral infarction volume (CIV) was measured by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (T TC) staining. Morphological changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The apoptotic cell index (ACI) was detected by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of ca lpain 1, p35/p25 (regulatory binding partners of Cdk5), Cdk5, and p-Tau in neurons. The neuronal morphology in the MCAO/R, NRG1β, Ros + NRG1β, and Ros groups differed compared to the sham group; the mNSS, CIV, ACI, and the expression of calpain 1, p35/p25, Cdk5, and p-Tau were significantly in creased in all four groups (P <  0.05). In the NRG1β, Ros and Ros + NRG1β groups, the neuronal morphology was significantly improved compared to the MCAO/R group, as were the mNSS, CIV, and ACI. The levels of calpain 1, p35/p25, an...
Source: Journal of Molecular Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research