title: Propofol increases expression of basic fibroblast growth factor after transient cerebral ischemia in rats.
abstract: Anesthetics such as propofol can provide neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia. However, the underlying mechanism of this beneficial effect is not clear. Therefore, we subjected male Sprague-Dawley rats to 2 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion and investigated how post-ischemic administration of propofol affected neurologic outcome and the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). After 2 h of ischemia, just before reperfusion, the animals were randomly assigned to receive either propofol (20 mg kg(-1) h(-1)) or vehicle (10 % intralipid, 2 ml kg(-1) h(-1)) intravenously for 4 h. Neurologic scores, infarct volume, and brain water content were measured at different time points after reperfusion. mRNA level of bFGF was measured by real-time PCR, and the protein expression level of bFGF was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. At 6, 24, 72 h, and 7 days of reperfusion, infarct volume was significantly reduced in the propofol-treated group compared to that in the vehicle-treated group (all P < 0.05). Propofol post-treatment also attenuated brain water content at 24 and 72 h and reduced neurologic deficit score at 72 h and 7 days of reperfusion (all P < 0.05). Additionally, in the peri-infarct area, bFGF mRNA and protein expression were elevated at 6, 24, and 72 h of reperfusion compared to that in the vehicle-treated group (all P < 0.05). These results show that post-ischemic administration of propofol provides neural protection from cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. This protection may be related to an early increase in the expression of bFGF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China. zhaoxcstephen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Xiao-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dong-Yi
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D015742:Propofol