title: Lecithinized superoxide dismutase improves outcomes and attenuates focal cerebral ischemic injury via antiapoptotic mechanisms in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have shown the antiapoptotic neuroprotective effects of lecithinized superoxide dismutase (PC-SOD) in different forms of brain injury. We tested the effects of PC-SOD in focal cerebral ischemia in the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model (MCAO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PC-SOD (0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) administered intravenously after 90 minutes of occlusion (beginning of reperfusion). Physiological parameters, neurological score, and infarct volume were assessed at 24 and 72 hours in 3 groups of animals: sham-operated (n=18), MCAO treated with vehicle (n=26), and MCAO treated with PC-SOD (n=37). Oxidative stress was evaluated by malondialdehyde assay, and the apoptotic mechanisms were studied by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PC-SOD treatment significantly reduced infarct volume and improved neurological scores at different time points compared with the vehicle-treated group. PC-SOD treatment decreased malondialdehyde levels, cytochrome c, and cleaved caspase 3 expression and increased mitochondrial Bcl-2 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhibition of oxidative stress with PC-SOD treatment improves outcomes after focal cerebral ischemia. This neuroprotective effect is likely exerted by antiapoptotic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: Tamiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsubokawa
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Solaroglu
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiokawa
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C434045:lecithinized superoxide dismutase