title: Saikosaponin a protects TBI rats after controlled cortical impact and the underlying mechanism.
abstract: The inflammatory response plays a significant role in neuronal cell death and functional deficits after Traumatic brain injury (TBI). Importantly, anti-inflammatory agents have neuroprotective effects. To date, however, no studies have investigated the neuroprotective effects of Saikosaponin a (SSa) after TBI. In the present study, rats with controlled cortical impact (CCI) were used to investigate the neuroprotective effects of SSa. The results showed that SSa reduced body weight loss, improved neurological functions andcognition, and reduced brain edema and blood brain barrier permeability after CCI. Moreover, SSa inhibited aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (c-JNK), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The reduction in the loss of occludin mediated by SSa may partially account for its neuroprotective effects. Together, our results suggest that SSa appears to counteract the inflammatory response and neurological function deficits after TBI and possibly via an anti-inflammatory response and inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefei, Anhui, China; Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurotrauma, General Hospital of Armed Police Forces Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guozhuan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Shuyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefei, Anhui, China; Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurotrauma, General Hospital of Armed Police ForcesBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Zonggang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Runfa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Te
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Imaging Center of Neuroscience, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Neurotrauma Laboratory, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Neurotrauma, General Hospital of Armed Police ForcesBeijing, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tian Tan Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, China; Nerve Injury and Repair Center of Beijing Institute for Brain DisordersBeijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological DiseasesBeijing, China.
authors.forename: Baiyun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Saikosaponin a; controlled cortical impact; inflammation; mitogen-activated protein kinase; neuroprotection