Effect of bone morphogenetic protein-7 on expression of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 in rats with focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion

Objective To study the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of bone morphogenetic protein-7 on expression of Caspase-9 after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.Methods Total of 40 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups:sham-operated group,model group,BMP-7 injection group( 0.2mg/kg,0.1mg/kg as high and low dose respectively) consisting of 10 rats each group.Focal cerebral ischemic model was established by inserting a monofilament thread into the middle cerebral artery.Neurological functuion deficits were evaluated by Longa test scale.The neuronal pathological change in ischemic corex was observed by HE staining.The expressions of caspase-9 mRNA and its protein in ischemia cortex were determined by Real-time PCR,immunohistochemistry and Western blot respectively.Results As compared with model group,the pathological damage in the ischemia cortex was significantly lessened and most significantly in high dose group,the neurological deficiency scores were lower( t = 3.79,t = 4.43,P 0.01),the expression of Caspase-9 mRNA was lower( t = 2.56,t = 4.52;P 0.05,P 0.01) and Caspase-9 protein decreased( t = 3.11,t = 5.62;P 0.05,P 0.01) significantly than those in BMP-7 treatment group.Conclusion BMP-7 could protect focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury by inhibiting the expression of Caspase-9 in mitochondrial apoptotic pathway as dose-dependently.