Inhibitory effects of dextromethorphan on c-fos protein expression during focal cerebral ischemia in rats
Abstract
AIM: To study the effect of dextromethorphan (DM) in focal cerebral ischemia.
METHODS: The c-fos protein was detected immunohistochemically in the brain of rats after focal cerebral ischemia (induced by placing a nylon thread in the lumen of the internal carotid artery) with and without treatment with DM.
RESULTS: Focal cerebral ischemia induced c-fos protein expression outside the core territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and neuronal damage in the core territory of the MCA. There was an evident expression of c-fos protein in the ipsilateral regions outside the MCA territory (e.g. cingulate cortices, piriform cortices and entorhinal cortices), and in the contralateral regions of hippocampus after 4-h reperfusion following 1-h MCA occlusion. But morphological results showed severe edema and neuronal damage in the core territory and the ipsilateral hippocampus. DM blocked both the c-fos protein induction and neuronal damage in all regions.
CONCLUSION: DM reduced c-fos protein expression and blocked the neuronal damage after focal cerebral ischemia.
Keywords:
METHODS: The c-fos protein was detected immunohistochemically in the brain of rats after focal cerebral ischemia (induced by placing a nylon thread in the lumen of the internal carotid artery) with and without treatment with DM.
RESULTS: Focal cerebral ischemia induced c-fos protein expression outside the core territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and neuronal damage in the core territory of the MCA. There was an evident expression of c-fos protein in the ipsilateral regions outside the MCA territory (e.g. cingulate cortices, piriform cortices and entorhinal cortices), and in the contralateral regions of hippocampus after 4-h reperfusion following 1-h MCA occlusion. But morphological results showed severe edema and neuronal damage in the core territory and the ipsilateral hippocampus. DM blocked both the c-fos protein induction and neuronal damage in all regions.
CONCLUSION: DM reduced c-fos protein expression and blocked the neuronal damage after focal cerebral ischemia.