Effects of TSPJ on Neuronal Apoptosis and Related Gene Expression in Rat Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Objective:To investigate the effects of total saponins of Panax japonicus(TSPJ) on neuronal apoptosis and expression of c-fos,c-jun proteins in rat cerebral injury induced by ischemia and reperfusion.Method: Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:control group,model group,nimodipine group,TSPJ 200,100,50 mg·kg-1groups.The models of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was reproduced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).HE staining was used to assay the pathological changes;TUNEL stainning was used to detect apoptotic neurons;immuno-histochemistry was used to observe the protein expression of c-fos and c-jun.Result: Compared with the control group,the neuronal apoptosis was increased and the expression of c-fos、c-junhad remarkably enhanced after cerebral ischemia reperfusion(P0.01);TSPJ improved the pathological changes,TSPJ(200,100 mg·kg-1)group significantly inhibited the expression of postitve neuronal cells of TUNEL and the expression of c-fos,c-jun decreased(P0.01,P0.05).Conclusion:TSPJ can decrease the number of apoptotic cells after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion by down-regulating the expression of c-fos and c-jun,which may be one of mechanisms of neuroprotective effects.