Impacts of N-Butylphthalide on expression of growth factors in rats with focal cerebral ischemia

• Main Authors: Yan Jiang, Leyu Sun, Xiaoyan Xuan, Jianping Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Association of Basic Medical Sciences of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016-01-01
• Series: Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
• Subjects: N-butylphthalide; rats with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion; vascular endothelial growth factor; transforming growth factor-β1
• Online Access: http://www.bjbms.org/ojs/index.php/bjbms/article/view/560
• ISSN: 1512-8601; 1840-4812

This study investigates the impacts of n-butylphthalide (NBP) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in rats with focal cerebral ischemia. The thread embolization method was used to prepare the rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CIR). The animals were divided into a sham operation group, a model control group and NBP treatment group. The NBP group was orally administered 25 mg/kg NBP twice a day after the surgery. The immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were performed to observe the protein and mRNA expressions of VEGF and TGF-β 16 hours, 1 day and 2 days after inducing CIR. The mRNA and protein expressions of VEGF and TGF-β1 in the model control group and the NBP treatment group were all increased after CIR, and those of the NBP treatment group at each post-CIR time point were higher than the model control group (p < 0.01). After CIR, the expressions of VEGF and TGF-β1 increased, suggesting that VEGF and TGF-β1 exhibited protective effects towards the ischemic brain injuries, and that NBP could upregulate the expressions of VEGF and TGF-β1 in the peri-infarcted area, thus possibly protecting the ischemic brain tissues through this mechanism.