Caspase-3 Expression In Brain Sections Of Rat Subjected To Cerebral Ischemic Preconditioning

Objective: To study the expression of caspase-3 in brain sections of rat subjected to cerebral ischemic preconditioning and global cerebral ischemia, so as to further supply some laboratory data for understanding molecular mechanisms of cerebral ischemia and ischemic preconditioning.Methods: Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: the sham group(group S), the preconditioning group(group A),the cerebral ischemic group(group B)and the cerebral preconditioni-ng-ischemic group(group C); and then, group A, B, C were subdivided into three subgroup as reperfusion for 24h, 48h and 72h ,respectively. Global cerebral ischemia model was made through four-vessel occlusion in these rats; and caspase-3 expression in rat brain sections was detected by immunohistochemical technique.Results:The expression of caspase-3 in both group B and group C were significantly higher than those of in group S (P < 0.01); the expression of caspase-3 in group B were significantly higher than those of in group A(P < 0.01); the expression of caspase-3 in group B2 were significantly higher than those of in group C2 (P < 0.05);the expression of caspase-3 in group B3 were significantly higher than those of in group C3 (P < 0.01).Conclusions: Caspase-3 expression might play an important role in brain damage in rats after global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion,and the protective mechanism of ischemic preconditioning might involve in inhibiting caspase-3 expression and neuronal apoptosis.