The Effect Of Progesterone On Apoptosis And Expression Of Protein Related To Apoptosis In Rats During Focal Cerebral Ischemia/reperfusion Injury

Objective To study the Neuroprotective effects and molecular mechanism of Progesterone on reperfusion injury following ischemia.Methods The rats with MACO was described by Zea-longa for 2h and reperfusion for 24h . 48 male rats were divided randomly into 6 group that were the sham group , ischmia/reperfusion (I/R), dimethl sulfoxide(DMSO), and posttreatment, pretreatment , pre+posttreament with PROG. The neurological deficit was measured by Zea-Longa method, and the immunohistochemistry staining and TUNEL reaction were used to facilitate the quantities of p53, Bcl-2 and Bax protein and apoptosis in the brain tissuses.Results (1) The neurological score after reperfusion 24h was 0 in the sham operation , 1.38±0.92 in the I/R group , 1.0±0.53 in the DMSO group , 0.35±0.51 in the pretreatment group , 0. 62±0. 52 in the posttreatment group and 0.25±0.46 in the pre+posttreament group. (2) There were 26.25±3.54 cells in p53 immunostaining in the I/R group , 22. 88±3. 52 cells in DMSO group , 15. 00±2. 07 cells in the pretreatment group, 16.75±2.60 cells in theposttreatment group, 10.38±1.69 cells in the pre+posttreament group. (3) There were 9.50±1.69 cells in Bcl-2 immunostaining in the I/R group , 10.25±2.61 cells in DMSO group , 17. 13±1. 13 cells in the the pretreatment group, 16.63±1.30 cells in the posttreatment group, 23.50±1.93 cells in the pre+posttreament group. (4) There were 28. 13±2. 75 cells in Bax immunostaining in the I/R group , 27.75±3.06 cells in DMSO group , 14.25±1.83 cells in the the pretreatment group, 13.00±1.85 cells in the posttreatment group, 11.38±1.41 cells in the pre+posttreament group. (5)The number of apoptosic cells is 1.88±0.25 in the sham operation group, 41.38±3.85 in the I/R group , 38.13±5.69 in the DMSO group , 22.88±2.70 in the the pretreatment group, 25.63±2.93 in the posttreatment group, 20.88±2.30 in the pre+posttreament group. The difference among using drug groups (pretreament, posttreament, pre+posttreament) and control groups (I/R, DMSO) was significant (P<0.05).Conclusion PROG may protect the ischemia brain on reperfusion injury . Reducing the expression of p53 , Bax protein and apoptosis and the neurological deficit and increasing the expression of Bcl-2 protein would be one of the molecular mechanism.