title: Visfatin reduces hippocampal CA1 cells death and improves learning and memory deficits after transient global ischemia/reperfusion.
abstract: Visfatin is a novel adipocytokine with insulin-mimetic effect which plays a role in glucose-lowering effect of insulin and improves insulin sensitivity. It has been linked to a variety of cellular processes and its plays important roles in cell apoptosis and survival. Moreover, cerebral ischemia causes loss of hippocampus pyramidal cells, therefore, in this study; we investigated the neuroprotective effect of visfatin after global cerebral ischemia in male rats. Both common carotid arteries were occluded for 20 minutes followed by 4 days of reperfusion. Animals were treated with either the Visfatin (intracerebro-ventricular; 100 ng) or saline vehicle (2 µl) at the time of reperfusion. Behavioral examination, apoptosis and necrosis assessment were performed 4 days after ischemia. Visfatin significantly reduced Caspase-3 activation (P < 0.001), TUNEL positive cells (P < 0.05) and necrotic cell death in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (P < 0.001). Moreover, treatment with visfatin significantly improved memory deficits of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats (P < 0.05). The results suggest that visfatin via its antiapoptotic properties has significant neuroprotective effects on cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sohaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erfani
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khaksari
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrbanoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.
authors.forename: Nabi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shamsaei
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: dr.nabotaleb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aboutaleb
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nikbakht
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jamali-Raeufy
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center and Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fazel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gorjipour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D056547:CA1 Region, Hippocampal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D057967:Infusions, Intraventricular; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009336:Necrosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C504970:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, rat; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Apoptosis; Passive avoidance memory; Transient global cerebral ischemia; Visfatin