Ginsenoside Rg1 Prevents Cognitive Impairment and Hippocampal Neuronal Apoptosis in Experimental Vascular Dementia Mice by Promoting GPR30 Expression

This study is aimed at investigating the potential roles of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER, also known as GPR30) in the preventive effect of ginsenoside Rg1 against cognitive impairment and hippocampal cell apoptosis in experimental vascular dementia (VD) in mice. The effects of bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) on GPR30 expression at mRNA level were evaluated. Thereafter, the BCAS mouse model was utilized to evaluate the protection of Rg1 (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg, 14 days, ip). Spatial memory was evaluated by water Morris Maze 7 days post BCAS. After behavioral tests, neuronal apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, and potential mechanisms were determined using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Our results showed that GPR30 expression in the hippocampal region at mRNA level was promoted 30 min, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h following BCAS. Ginsenoside Rg1 (1 or 10 mg/kg, 14 days, ip) promoted GPR30 expression in the hippocampus of model mice (after behavioral tests) but did not alter GPR30 expression in the hippocampus of control mice. Moreover, treatment of ginsenoside Rg1 (10 mg/kg) or G1 (5 μg/kg), a GPR30 agonist, prevented BCAS-induced memory impairment and hippocampal neuronal loss and apoptosis and promoted the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax expression in the hippocampus (after behavioral tests). On the contrary, G15 (185 μg/kg), an antagonist of GPR30, aggravated BCAS-induced hippocampal neuronal loss and apoptosis. Finally, drug-target molecular docking pointed that Rg1 had a lower binding energy with GPR30 compared with Bax and Bcl-2. Together, our data implicate that ginsenoside Rg1 prevents cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in VD mice, likely through promoting GPR30 expression. These results would provide important implications for the application of Rg1 in the treatment of VD.

Electroacupuncture Promotes the Survival of the Grafted Human MGE Neural Progenitors in Rats with Cerebral Ischemia by Promoting Angiogenesis and Inhibiting Inflammation

Stem cells have the potential as a regenerative therapy for cerebral ischemia by improving functional outcomes. However, cell transplantation has some limitations, including a low rate of the grafted cell survival. There is still a major challenge of promoting the harmonious symbiosis between grafted cells and the host. Acupuncture can effectively improve the functional outcome after cerebral ischemia. The present study evaluated the therapeutic effects and explored the mechanism of combined medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) neural progenitors differentiated from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with electroacupuncture (EA) in a bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO) rat model. The results showed that EA could promote the survival of the grafted MGE neural progenitors differentiated from hESCs and alleviate learning and memory impairment in rats with cerebral ischemia. This may have partially resulted from inhibited expression of TNF-α and IL-1β and increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and blood vessel density in the hippocampus. Our findings indicated that EA could promote the survival of the grafted MGE neural progenitors and enhance transplantation therapy’s efficacy by promoting angiogenesis and inhibiting inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory efficacy of Berberine Nanomicelle for improvement of cerebral ischemia: formulation, characterization and evaluation in bilateral common carotid artery occlusion rat model

Background Berberine (BBR) is a plant alkaloid that possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects with low oral bioavailability. In this study, micelle formulation of BBR was investigated to improve therapeutic efficacy and examined its effect on the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in cerebral ischemia in the animal model. Material and methods Nano formulation was prepared by thin-film hydration method, and characterized by particle size, zeta potential, morphology, encapsulation efficacy, and drug release in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Simulated Intestine Fluid (SIF). Then, Wistar rats were pretreated with the drug (100 mg/kg) and nano-drug (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/kg) for 14 days. Then, on the fourteenth day, stroke induction was accomplished by Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCCAO); after that, Tumor Necrosis Factor - Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin – 1 Beta (IL-1ß), and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in the supernatant of the whole brain, then the anti-inflammatory effect of BBR formulations was examined. Result and discussion Micelles were successfully formed with appropriate characteristics and smaller sizes than 20 nm. The Poly Dispersity Index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficacy of micelles was 0.227, − 22 mV, 81%, respectively. Also, the stability of nano micelles was higher in SGF as compared to SIF. Our outcomes of TNF-a, IL-1B, and MDA evaluation show a significant ameliorating effect of the Berberine (BBR) and BBR-loaded micelles in pretreated groups. Conclusion Our experimental data show that pretreated groups in different doses (nano BBR 100, 75, 50 mg/kg, and BBR 100 mg/kg) successfully showed decreased levels of the inflammatory factors in cerebral ischemia compared with the stroke group and pretreated group with nano BBR in the dose of 25 mg/kg. Nano BBR formulation with a lower dose can be a better candidate than conventional BBR formulation to reduce oxidative and inflammatory factors in cerebral ischemia. Therefore, BBR-loaded micelle formulation could be a promising protective agent on cerebral ischemia.

Cardiac Dysfunction in a Mouse Vascular Dementia Model of Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Stenosis

Background: Cardiac function is associated with cognitive function. Previously, we found that stroke and traumatic brain injury evoke cardiac dysfunction in mice. In this study, we investigate whether bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS), a model that induces vascular dementia (VaD) in mice, induces cardiac dysfunction.Methods: Late-adult (6–8 months) C57BL/6J mice were subjected to sham surgery (n = 6) or BCAS (n = 8). BCAS was performed by applying microcoils (0.16 mm internal diameter) around both common carotid arteries. Cerebral blood flow and cognitive function tests were performed 21–28 days post-BCAS. Echocardiography was conducted in conscious mice 29 days after BCAS. Mice were sacrificed 30 days after BCAS. Heart tissues were isolated for immunohistochemical evaluation and real-time PCR assay.Results: Compared to sham mice, BCAS in mice significantly induced cerebral hypoperfusion and cognitive dysfunction, increased cardiac hypertrophy, as indicated by the increased heart weight and the ratio of heart weight/body weight, and induced cardiac dysfunction and left ventricular (LV) enlargement, indicated by a decreased LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV fractional shortening (LVFS), increased LV dimension (LVD), and increased LV mass. Cognitive deficits significantly correlated with cardiac deficits. BCAS mice also exhibited significantly increased cardiac fibrosis, increased oxidative stress, as indicated by 4-hydroxynonenal and NADPH oxidase-2, increased leukocyte and macrophage infiltration into the heart, and increased cardiac interleukin-6 and thrombin gene expression.Conclusions: BCAS in mice without primary cardiac disease provokes cardiac dysfunction, which, in part, may be mediated by increased inflammation and oxidative stress.

Oxidative Stress Mediates Vascular Tortuosity

Vascular tortuosity is associated with various disorders and is being increasingly detected through advances in imaging techniques. The underlying mechanisms for vascular tortuosity, however, remain unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress mediates the generation of tortuous vessels. We used the bilateral common carotid artery (CCA) ligation model to induce vascular tortuosity. Both young and adult rats showed basilar artery tortuous morphological changes one month after bilateral CCA ligation. These tortuous changes were permanent but more pronounced in the adult rats. Microarray and real-time PCR analysis revealed that these tortuous changes were accompanied by the induction of oxidative stress-related genes. Moreover, the indicated model in rabbits showed that tortuous morphological changes to the basilar artery were suppressed by antioxidant treatment. These results are highly suggestive of the significance of oxidative stress in the development of vascular tortuosity. Although further studies will be needed to elucidate the possible mechanisms by which oxidative stress enhances vascular tortuosity, our study also points toward possible prophylaxis and treatment for vascular tortuosity.

Dietary Supplementation of Fenugreek Seed Extract and Choline-Docosahexaenoic acid on Oxidative Stress and Neurodegeneration in Ovariectomized Rats with Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion

As impairment of memory and ischemic brain injury is more common in female of menopausal age, the current study aims to evaluate the protective role of fenugreek seed extract and choline-Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cognitive behavior, oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in ovariectomized-cerebral ischemic rats. Cerebral ischemia was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) surgery to ovariectomized adult female wistar rats. Fenugreek, choline-DHA and combination of fenugreek with choline-DHA was supplemented for 30days after ovariectomy and continued for 14 more days after BCCAO surgery. Effect of this supplementation on learning and memory, brain oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in the CA1, CA3 hippocampal sub-regions were analyzed. Ovariectomized-cerebral ischemic rats demonstrated learning and memory impairment when subjected to passive avoidance task. Further, these rats also had increased brain oxidative stress, and neurodegeneration in CA1, CA3 sub-regions of hippocampus. Conversely, combined supplementation of fenugreek with choline-DHA to ovariectomized-cerebral ischemic rats exhibited a significant improvement in their learning and memory abilities, with reduced oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in CA1 and CA3 sub-regions of hippocampus.

High Salt Diet Blunted Baroreflex Sensitivity (BRS) to Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Occlusion (BCCO) in Male Sprague –Dawley Rats – Permissive Effect of Testosterone

Autonomic dysfunction is involved in the onset of salt-sensitive hypertension as baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is blunted in salt-sensitive hypertension. However, salt sensitivity exhibits sex disparity because in salt-sensitive hypertension, blood pressure (BP) is usually higher in males when compared with females. The mechanism(s) underlying this sexual dimorphism is not clear. We, therefore, designed this study to determine BRS in weanling male Sprague – Dawley rats that were either bilaterally orchidectomized or sham-operated (under ketamine and xylazine anaesthesia (90 mg and 10 mg/kg/body weight i.m) respectively, with or without testosterone replacement (10 mg/kg sustanon 250® i.m once in 3 weeks) and were placed on normal (0.3%) or high (8%) NaCl diet for 6 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured via arterial cannulation under urethane and α-chloralose anesthesia (5 ml/kg body weight i.p). BRS was determined as change in HR per unit change in BP in response to 30 seconds bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCO). Serum concentration of testosterone was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). High salt diet (HSD) increased both the basal BP and peak BP after BCCO when compared with control. Orchidectomy attenuated but testosterone replacement restored the elevated BP in rats fed HSD. HSD blunted BRS to BCCO. However, this effect of HSD was lost in the absence of testosterone as there was no significant difference in BRS between rat fed a normal or high salt diet. Our results suggest that blunting of the BRS may be one of the mechanisms by which testosterone promotes salt-induced hypertension and serves as one of the bases for sex disparity in salt-sensitive hypertension.

Abstract P772: Complement C3a Receptor Deletion is Neuroprotective in a Murine Model of Vascular Cognitive Impairment

Background: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) leads to vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). We and others have reported that either the genetic deficiency of complement C3a receptor (C3aR) or its pharmacological inhibition in rodents protect against cerebral ischemia. Hypothesis: CCH augments VCID via overactivation of C3aR in brain. Methods: Male C3aR knockout (C3aR -/- ) and wild-type (C3aR +/+ ) mice (Age:12 weeks; N=8-10/gp) were subjected to either VCID with bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) or sham surgery. At 4-mo post-BCAS, changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), hippocampal atrophy (HA), white matter degeneration (WMD) and ventricular size were determined with laser speckle contrast analysis and magnetic resonance imaging. Behavioral outcomes were evaluated using Morris water maze (MWM) and novel object recognition (NOR). Histopathology with Luxol-Fast Blue (LFB) staining, and protein biochemistry with Western blotting were also performed. Results: BCAS resulted in reduced CBF, inducing HA, WMD and ventricle enlargement in both groups compared to their sham controls. These deleterious findings were attenuated in C3aR -/- compared to C3aR +/+ mice. Moreover, the C3aR -/- -BCAS group performed significantly better than C3aR +/+ -BCAS group in MWM and NOR tests; however, mice subjected to BCAS never outperformed their sham-groups. WMD demonstrated by LFB-staining and reduced expression of myelin basic protein and tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin) in mice subjected to BCAS was mitigated in C3aR -/- as compared to C3aR +/+ mice. C3aR +/+ -BCAS also showed significantly higher expression of C3a in plasma and C3aR in brain lysates compared to their sham-controls. Conclusion: CCH augments C3aR activation leading to poor outcomes in VCID. Therefore, future studies in cell-specific mutant mice are warranted to understand the pathological role of C3aR in VCID.

Increased Sestrin3 Contributes to Post-ischemic Seizures in the Diabetic Condition

Seizures are among the most common neurological sequelae of stroke, and diabetes notably increases the incidence of post-ischemic seizures. Recent studies have indicated that Sestrin3 (SESN3) is a regulator of a proconvulsant gene network in human epileptic hippocampus. But the association of SESN3 and post-ischemic seizures in diabetes remains unclear. The present study aimed to reveal the involvement of SESN3 in seizures following transient cerebral ischemia in diabetes. Diabetes was induced in adult male mice and rats via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Forebrain ischemia (15 min) was induced by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, the 2-vessel occlusion (2VO) in mice and 4-vessel occlusion (4VO) in rats. Our results showed that 59% of the diabetic wild-type mice developed seizures after ischemia while no seizures were observed in non-diabetic mice. Although no apparent cell death was detected in the hippocampus of seizure mice within 24 h after the ischemic insult, the expression of SESN3 was significantly increased in seizure diabetic mice after ischemia. The post-ischemic seizure incidence significantly decreased in SESN3 knockout mice. Furthermore, all diabetic rats suffered from post-ischemic seizures and non-diabetic rats have no seizures. Electrophysiological recording showed an increased excitatory synaptic transmission and intrinsic membrane excitability in dentate granule cells of the rat hippocampus, together with decreased IA currents and Kv4.2 expression levels. The above results suggest that SESN3 up-regulation may contribute to neuronal hyperexcitability and seizure generation in diabetic animals after ischemia. Further studies are needed to explore the molecular mechanism of SESN3 in seizure generation after ischemia in diabetic conditions.