Enhanced angiogenesis and astrocyte activation by ecdysterone treatment in a focal cerebral ischemia rat model.
OBJECTIVE
We reported previously that ecdysterone (EDS) improves neurologic function after experimental stroke. However, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. The present study was conducted to test whether ecdysterone improves neurologic function by enhancing astrocyte activation and angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.


METHODS
Focal cerebral ischemia model was conducted by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). EDS was intraperitoneally injected at 20 mg kg1 daily for 7 days after MCAO. Neurologic recovery was assessed using the neurologic severity scores. Microvessel density and GFAP expression were detected with immunostaining and analyzed quantitatively with image system.


RESULTS
Treatment with EDS significantly improved functional recovery, along with increases in density of cerebral microvessels and astrocyte activation. Microvessel density was significantly higher in EDS treated group than in ischemia control group at all time points, and reached a peak on day 14. EDS treated group had substantial increment in GFAP immunoreactive cells, darker staining color, more and longer nerve processes, higher GFAP expression and area of immunoreactive cells at each time point.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that EDS treatment enhanced angiogenesis and astrocyte activation which could contribute to functional recovery.
Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan 30, Chongqing, 400038, People's Republic of China.
Chunxia
C
Luo
Bin
B
Yi
Wenhui
W
Fan
Kangning
K
Chen
Li
L
Gui
Zhi
Z
Chen
Lusi
L
Li
Hua
H
Feng
Luxiang
L
Chi
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D004441:Ecdysterone; D005169:Factor VIII