Dexmedetomidine alleviates cerebral ischemia ‐reperfusion injury in rats via inhibition of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α

Dexmedetomidine (Dex) can reduce apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia ‐reperfusion (I/R). Increased expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) was found in brain tissue of I/R rats. Inhibition of HIF‐1α reduces apoptosis induced by I/R. AbstractDexmedetomidine (Dex) was reported to reduce ischemia ‐reperfusion (I/R) injury in kidney and brain tissues. Thus, we aimed to study the role and mechanism of Dex in cerebral I/R injury by inhibiting hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and apoptosis. First, I/R injury models were established. Six groups were assigned after different treatmen ts: sham, I/R, I/R+Dex, I/R+2‐methoxyestradiol (2ME2) (HIF‐1α inhibitor), I/R+CoCl2 (HIF ‐1α activator), and I/R+Dex+CoCl2 groups. Neurological function, cerebral infarction volume, survival, and apoptosis of brain cells were then analyzed. Besides, immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of HIF ‐1α, BCL‐2[B‐cell leukemia/lymphoma 2] adenovirus E1B interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), B‐cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2), BCL2[B‐cell leukemia/lymphoma 2] associated X (Bax), and cleaved‐caspase3 proteins in brain tissues. I/R rats showed cerebral infarction, increased neurological functi on score, number of terminal‐deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL)‐positive cells and HIF‐1α–positive cells as well as decreased neurons. Inhibition of HIF‐1α can reduce the apoptosis induce...
Source: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research