Curcumin prophylaxis mitigates the incidence of hypobaric hypoxia-induced altered ion channels expression and impaired tight junction proteins integrity in rat brain

摘要

Background The present study was proposed to elucidate the prophylactic role of curcumin in the prevention of hypoxia-induced cerebral edema (HACE). Methods Rats were exposed to simulated hypobaric hypoxia at 7620 m for 24 h at 25?±?1 °C. Transvascular leakage, expression of transcriptional factors (nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (Hif-1α) and also the genes regulated by these transcriptional factors, sodium potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase) and endothelial sodium channel (ENaC) levels and brain tight junction (TJ) proteins like ZO-1, junctional adhesion molecule C (JAMC), claudin 4 and claudin 5 levels were determined in the brain of rats under hypoxia by Western blotting, electro mobility shift assay, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and histopathology along with haematological parameters. Simultaneously, to rule out the fact that inflammation causes impaired Na+/K+-ATPase and ENaC functions and disturbing the TJ integrity leading to cerebral edema, the rats were pre-treated with curcumin (100 mg/kg body weight) 1 h prior to 24-h hypoxia. Results Curcumin administration to rats, under hypoxia showed a significant decrease (p?