Cerebral ischemic stroke -reperfusion (CIS/R) injury poses a significant threat to cognitive function. In this study, we explored the effects of Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. seeds oil (VASO) on a CIS/R model in Wistar rats and investigated its underlying mechanisms. Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: a normal group, a VASO-supplemented group (receiving 400 mg/kg VASO), an ischemic stroke-reperfusion (IS/R) group, and two IS/R groups treated with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/ kg VASO, each comprising 10 rats. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Y-electric maze test. Additionally, we employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time PCR to examine the expression of proteins and genes associated with neurotrophic growth, inflammation, and apoptosis in the brain. Compared to the normal group, rats subjected to IS/R exhibited a significant delay in meeting the maze criteria. The IS/R group also demonstrated markedly elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), alongside reduced levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) and neurotrophic growth factors [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)]. The group treated with 400 mg/kg VASO after IS/R displayed improvements, with increased levels of neurotrophic growth factors, and a favorable shift in the protein and gene expression profiles of inflammatory and apoptotic markers (including glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF-6), Bcl-2, Bax, and p53) compared to the IS/ R group. These results suggest that VASO extract may mitigate cognitive impairments following IS/R in rats, potentially through its modulation of microglia-secreted inflammatory factors.
KEY WORDS: Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. seeds oil; Inflammation; Apoptosis; Cerebral ischemic stroke -reperfusion.
ZHANG, J. & DONG, B. Effects of Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. seeds oil on the cerebral stroke in rat: A biochemical, immunohistochemically and molecular approach. Int. J. Morphol., 42(6):1773-1782, 2024.
