Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Reduces Neuronal Apoptosis in Rats after Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Injury via PI3K/AKT/eNOS Signaling Pathway

• Published in: BioMed research international 2018-01, Vol.2018 (2018), p.1-9
• Main Authors: Wanshu, Guo, Tongtong, Liu, Chen, Keyan, Zhonghang, Xu, Nan, Wang, Zhongxin, Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloidosis; Animal models; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; BAX protein; Bcl-2 protein; Biochemistry; Brain; Brain injury; Brain Ischemia - drug therapy; Brain Ischemia - metabolism; Brain research; Carotid arteries; Caspase; Caspase-3; Catechin; Catechin - analogs & derivatives; Catechin - pharmacology; Cerebral blood flow; Chromones - pharmacology; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Epigallocatechin gallate; Head injuries; Hypoxia; Immunohistochemistry; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - drug therapy; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery - metabolism; Injuries; Injury prevention; Ischemia; Kinases; Laboratory animals; Male; Markers; Morpholines - pharmacology; Morphology; Neurons; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neurosciences; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III - metabolism; Occlusion; Oxidative stress; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Polyphenols; Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reperfusion Injury - drug therapy; Reperfusion Injury - metabolism; Rodents; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Signaling; Systematic review; Tea; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 2314-6141
• DOI: 10.1155/2018/6473580

Background/Aims. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has neuroprotective effects and the ability to resist amyloidosis. This study observed the protective effect of EGCG against neuronal injury in rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and investigated the mechanism of action of PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway. Methods. Rat models of permanent MCAO were established using the suture method. Rat behavior was measured using neurological deficit score. Pathology and apoptosis were measured using HE staining and TUNEL. Oxidative stress and brain injury markers were examined using ELISA. Apoptosis-related proteins and PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway were determined using western blot assay and immunohistochemistry. Results. EGCG decreased neurological function score, protected nerve cells, inhibited neuronal apoptosis, and inhibited oxidative stress injury and brain injury markers level after MCAO. EGCG reduced the apoptotic rate of neurons, increased the expression of Bcl-2, and decreased the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax. After LY294002 suppressed the PI3K pathway, the protective effect of EGCG decreased after administration of PI3K inhibitors. Conclusion. EGCG has a protective effect on rat brain injury induced by MCAO, possibly by modulating the PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway.