title: RIG-I contributes to the innate immune response after cerebral ischemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Focal cerebral ischemia induces an inflammatory response that when exacerbated contributes to deleterious outcomes. The molecular basis regarding the regulation of the innate immune response after focal cerebral ischemia remains poorly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study we examined the expression of retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-like receptor-I (RIG-I) and its involvement in regulating inflammation after ischemia in the brain of rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). In addition, we studied the regulation of RIG-I after oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) in astrocytes in culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study we show that in the hippocampus of rats, RIG-I and IFN-α are elevated after MCAO. Consistent with these results was an increased in RIG-I and IFN-α after OGD in astrocytes in culture. These data are consistent with immunohistochemical analysis of hippocampal sections, indicating that in GFAP-positive cells there was an increase in RIG-I after MCAO. In addition, in this study we have identified n-propyl gallate as an inhibitor of IFN-α signaling in astrocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest a role for RIG-I in contributing to the innate immune response after focal cerebral ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University School of Medicine/Ochsner Medical Center - Ophthalmology Department, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Rivero Vaccari
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA.
authors.forename: Nancy H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Mejias
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA.
authors.forename: Ofelia F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136 USA.
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Rivero Vaccari
keywords: Innate immunity; Neuroinflammation; RIG-I; Stroke; ischemia