Effects of Parecoxib Pretreatment on Focal Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury and Expression of Brain Aquaporin 4in Rats

Objective To study the effects of parecoxib pretreatment on focal cerebral ischemiareperfusion(IR)injury and the expression of brain aquaporin 4(AQP4)in rats.Methods One hundred and eight male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups:sham-operation group(group S),ischemia-reperfusion group(group IR)and parecoxib pretreatment group(group P),with 36rats in each group.Focal cerebral IR was produced by 2hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion and 24hours of reperfusion in group P and group IR.In addition,rats in group P were intravenously injected with parecoxib(10mg·kg-1)15minutes before ischemia.While rats in group IR were given the equal volume of normal saline.In group S,right common carotid artery,internal carotid artery and external carotid artery were separated and ligated without the placement of occluding suture.The neurological deficit scores(NDSs)were measured after 2and 24 hours of reperfusion.After decapitation,the brains were removed for the determination of infarct volume,brain water content and AQP4expression.Results Compared with group S,NDSs,infarction volume,brain water content and AQP4expression significantly increased in group IR(all P0.05).Compared with group IR,NDSs,infarction volume,brain water content and AQP4expression significantly decreased in group P(all P0.05).Conclusion Parecoxib pretreatment can attenuate focal cerebral IR injury and the mechanism may be associated with the down-regulation of AQP4expression and the reduction of brain edema.