Changes of NMDA receptor subunit NR2B in the subventricular zone after focal cerebral ischemia

Objective To investigate the expression of NMDA receptor subunit NR2B in the subventricular zone(SVZ)after focal cerebral ischemia.Methods 44 male SD rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups: normal group,sham-operation group and ischemia/reperfusion group.Transient brain ischemia(90 min) and reperfusion was created by practicing middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).Brain sections cut by paraffin method were processed to test the immunohistochemical reaction of NR2B by SP method and to evaluate the results with LEICA QWin image analysis system.Results Significant increase of NR2B positive cells was found in the SVZ on ipsilateral side on 3 d;the expression of NR2B immunoreactive cells reached a peak on 7 d,and then started to decline.The expression of NR2B on the contralateral side changed in a manner similar to that on the ischemia side,but less in amplitude.Conclusion The present results demonstrate that the sharply increased expression of NR2B in the SVZ might be one of the events involved in the neurogenesis there.