Effect of sevoflurane preconditioning on CHOP expression in cerebral cortex after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Objective To investigate the effect of sevoflurane preconditioning on CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) expression in the cerebral cortex after focal cerebral ischemiareperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and the mechanism. Methods Thirty-six male SD rats weighing 250-280 g were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n = 12 each) : sham operation group (group S) , focal cerebral I/R group (group I/R) and sevoflurane preconditioning group (group Sevo-pc). The animals were anesthetized with intraperitoneal chloral hydrate 300 mg/kg. In groups I/R and Sevo-pc, focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion using a nylon thread with rounded tip inserted into the right internal carotid artery and advanced cranially until resistance was met. The occlusion was maintained for 1 h followed by 24 h reperfusion. Group Sevo-pc inhaled 2.7% sevoflurane for 1 h before ischemia. Neurological deficits were assessed and scored at the end of 24 h reperfusion and then the rats were decapitated. Their brains were immediately removed. The cerebral infarct size was determined by TTC staining. The CHOP expression in the ischemic cerebral cortex was determined by immunohistochemistry. The number of apoptotic neurons was counted using TUNEL. Results The neurological deficit scores were significantly higher, the cerebral infarct size was significantly larger, and the CHOP expression and the number of apoptotic neurons were significantly higher in groups I/R and Sevo-pc than in group S ( P ＜ 0.01) . The neurological deficit scores were significantly lower, the cerebral infarct size was significantly smaller, and the CHOP expression and the number of apoptosis neurons were significantly lower in group Sevo-pc than in group I/R ( P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01) . Conclusion Sevoflurane preconditioning may protect the brain against focal cerebral I/R injury by down-regulating CHOP expression in the cerebral cortex in rats. Key words: Anesthetics, inhalation;  Ischemic preconditioning;  Reperiusion injury;  Cerebral cortex;  Transcription factor CHOP