title: Molecular analysis of endoplasmic reticulum stress response after global forebrain ischemia/reperfusion in rats: effect of neuroprotectant simvastatin.
abstract: Simvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering agent whose functional significance and neuroprotective mechanism in ischemic brain injury is not yet solved. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of simvastatin on ischemic brain injury. We examined the endoplasmic reticulum stress response (UPR/unfolded protein response), by measuring the mRNA and protein levels of specific genes such as ATF6, GRP78, and XBP1 after 15 min 4-VO ischemia and different times of reperfusion (1, 3, and 24 h). The results from the group of naïve ischemic rats were compared with results from the group of pre-treated animals with simvastatin. The results of the experiments showed significant increase in all genes at the mRNA level in ischemic phase (about 43% for XBP1, 58% for GRP78, and 39% for ATF6 more than control). The protein level of XBP1 was decreased in pre-treated animals at ischemic phase and first hour of reperfusion (about 15% less), and did not reach control levels. The protein levels of GRP78 were maximal at third hour of reperfusion in statin group with a small decrease at 24 h of reperfusion in both groups. The levels of ATF6 mRNA in statin-treated animals was higher in comparison to non-statin animals at the ischemic phase and the third hour of reperfusion (about 35% higher), which was also translated into the higher protein level. This could indicate that one of the main proteins targeted to enhance neuroprotective effect to ER during the first two hours of reperfusion was ATF6 protein, the levels of which were 60% higher than in non-treated animals. These data suggest that simvastatin, in addition to the proposed neuroprotective effect, exerts a neuroprotective role in the attenuation of ER stress response after acute ischemic/reperfusion insult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Malá Hora 4, 03601 Martin, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlíková
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sivonová
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaplán
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tatarková
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaminska
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehotský
mesh_terms: D051702:Activating Transcription Factor 6 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D017510:Protein Folding / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000071701:Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000071717:X-Box Binding Protein 1; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
chemical_list: D051702:Activating Transcription Factor 6; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000071701:Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors; D019821:Simvastatin; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071717:X-Box Binding Protein 1; C497113:Atf6 protein, rat; C051684:GRP78 protein, rat; D000091342:Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP; C000605545:Xbp1 protein, rat