title: [Chromogranin A derived peptide CGA47-66 inhibits hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in mice with sepsis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of chromofungin (CHR), a chromogranin A (CGA) derived peptide CGA47-66, on hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in septic mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  120 healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into groups, with 12 mice in each group. Seventy-two mice were used for dynamic observation of the contents of water and Evan blue (EB) in brain tissue after being treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Another 48 mice were divided into normal saline control group (NS group), LPS induced sepsis model group (LPS group), low-dose CHR pretreatment group (CL+LPS group), and high-dose CHR pretreatment group (CH+LPS group). The septic model was reproduced by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg LPS 0.1 mL, and the mice in NS group was given equal volume of normal saline. The mice in CL+LPS group and CH+LPS group were intraperitoneally injected with 15.5 μg/kg and 77.5 μg/kg CHR 10 minutes before LPS injection. Six hours after LPS injection, 4 mL/kg of 2% EB was injected via caudal vein, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were determined, and EB immune fluorescence in brain tissue was determined to assess the changes in permeability of blood brain barrier. Brain pathology was observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the extension of time after LPS injection, the contents of water and EB in brain tissue were gradually increased, and the time of difference with statistical significance appeared earlier when compared with that of control group in the contents of water than that in EB contents (3 hours and 6 hours, respectively). The contents of water and EB in brain tissue in LPS group were significantly increased as compared with NS group [water content: (79.77±0.62)% vs. (78.28±0.44)%, P < 0.01; EB content (μg/g): 13.87±4.50 vs. 7.13±1.76, P < 0.05]. CHR pretreatment with either of two dosages could reverse the increase in water and EB contents in brain tissue induced by LPS, and the effect was more significant in CH+LPS group [water content: (78.15±0.73)% vs. (79.77±0.62)%, EB (μg/g): 7.09±2.59 vs. 13.87±4.50, both P < 0.05]. It was shown by EB fluorescence observation that the fluorescence signal displayed only in the meninges in NS group, and EB fluorescence was widely distributed in brain parenchyma in LPS group, indicating that the EB leakage in LPS group was more marked than that of NS group. In CHR pretreatment groups, EB fluorescence was decreased in brain parenchyma, indicating that EB leakage was significantly less marked, while it was more obvious in high dose CHR group. It was shown by HE staining that cerebral blood vessel structure was intact in NS group, and the gap around blood vessel was not significant increased. On the other hand, brain structure in LPS group appeared loose, with widening of small perivascular spaces and obvious edema. Brain edema in CHR pretreatment groups was improved as compared with that of the LPS group, and it was more apparent in high dose CHR group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPS induced change in blood brain barrier permeability in mice in a time-dependent manner. Exogenous CGA derived peptides CHR can inhibit LPS induced hyper-permeability of blood brain barrier in septic mice, thus reduces brain edema, protects the brain tissue, and the effect is more obvious with a high dose of CHR (77.5 μg/kg).
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. Corresponding author: Zhang Dan, Email: doctor_zhangdan@126.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004487:Edema / Q000517:prevention & control; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010539:Permeability; D011897:Random Allocation; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D053379:Chromogranin A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C437333:chromofungin