Effects of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter on cerebral edema in a rat model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury

摘要

The present study investigated the effects of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter inhibitor ruthenium red and the agonist spermine on cerebral edema in rats with cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. Left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced in rats using the suture method. Following 24 hours of ischemic reperfusion, neurological function scores of rats with MCAO, and rats pretreated with ruthenium red and spermine were significantly lower, however, water content of brain tissue, aquaporin 4 expression and immunoglobulin G (IgG) exudation were significantly higher than those of sham-operated rats. Compared with MCAO rats and spermine-treated rats, neurological function scores were considerably higher, and brain tissue water content, aquaporin 4 expression and IgG exudation decreased in ruthenium red-treated rats. These findings suggest that preventive application of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter inhibitor ruthenium red can significantly decrease aquaporin 4 and IgG expression, influence the permeability of the blood brain barrier, and thereby decrease the extent of cerebral edema.