Protective effect of isoflurane and sevoflurane on ischemic neurons and expression of Bcl-2 and ICE genes in rat brain.
OBJECTIVE
To study the protective effect of volatile anesthetics, isoflurane and sevoflurane, on ischemic neurons after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats and its possible molecular mechanism.


METHODS
Rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model was developed by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and bilateral common carotid arteries (CCAs) 1 h after reperfusion. Using flow cytometry (FCM) and Northern blot hybridization, we calculated the number of apoptotic bodies and detected the expression of bcl-2 mRNA and interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) mRNA.


RESULTS
The apoptotic bodies in hippocampus analyzed by FCM peaked at appeared 24 h after reperfusion, and decreased about 54% and 40%, respectively, after treatment with isoflurane and sevoflurane, as compared with ischemic group. There was no significant difference in the expression of bcl-2 mRNA and ICE mRNA between the inhaled anesthetic groups and ischemic group in hippocampus 24 h after MCA/CCAs occlusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Isoflurane and sevoflurane partially inhibit apoptosis but have no significant effect on the expression of bcl-2 and ICE genes.
Zhang
Shao-Dong
SD
Biochemical Department, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing 100050, China. zhang_shd@sina.com
Zhai
Jing
J
Zhang
Hui
H
Wan
Hong
H
Li
De-Zhi
DZ
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015424:Reperfusion; D000077149:Sevoflurane
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D007530:Isoflurane; D020170:Caspase 1