The relationship between the effects of curcumin on cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury and heat shock protein expressions in hippocampal CA1 area and its significance in gerbils

Objective:To explore the relationship between the effects of curcumin on cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury and heat shock protein genes expressions of hsp70 and hsp27 in hippocampal CA1 area. Methods:Gerbils were randomly divided into sham group (SH), ischemia-reperfusion group (IR), curcumin group (CU) and solvent control group (SC). Forebrain ischemia was induced by occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries. Observations were carried out in each group at 6h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d and 7 d after ischemia. Open field test was used to examine the behavioral changes, the apoptosis neurons in hippocampal CA1 region was counted, the expression of Hsp70 and Hsp27 in hippocampal CA1 was detected with SABC immunocytochemical technique. Results:The behavioral mark and the number of apoptosis neurons in hippocampal CA1 region were much less in CU group than that in IR group (P0.01), and the expression of Hsp70 was increased and Hsp27 was decreased in CA1 area in CU group than that in IR group (P0.01). Conclusion:Curcumin can significantly protect neurons against cerebral ischemia, increasing the expression Hsp70 and decreasing the expression of Hsp27 may be the protective mechanisms.