Changes of FADD mRNA and protein expression in the penumbra of rat cortex after transient focal cerebral ischemia

Objective To study the mRNA and protein levels of Fas-associated with death domain protein (FADD)in the the penumbra of rat cortex after transient focal cerebral ischemia.Methods Sixty male Sprague- Dawley rats were subjected to the left middle cerebral artery occlusion for two hours,then killed at 1,3,6,12 and 24 hours after reperfusion.The mRNA level of FADD was observed by half-quantitative RT-PCR.The protein level of FADD was measured by Western blot.Results The mRNA and protein levels of FADD in the the penum- bra of rat cortex were all increased at 3h after ischemia,and peaked at 12h after reperfusion(P0.01),and then markedly declined at 24h after reperfusion.Conclusion The mRNA and protein levels of FADD increase in the penumbra of rat cortex after transient focal cerebral ischemia which suggests that FADD may play an important role in the cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury.