A novel neuroprotection and regeneration therapy by the control of the factors related to axonal growth

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870456
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurology; Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: DEGUCHI Kentaro 岡山大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 講師 (80467753)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 慢性期脳梗塞 / 再生治療 / 血液脳関門 / 脳保護療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Changes of pericytes in the neurovascular unit (NVU) after the cerebral ischemia in rats were examined in relation to the effects of exogenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and a free radical scavenger, edaravone. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses showed that the overlap between pericytes and endothelial cells increased significantly at 4 days after 90 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). The number of pericytes and the overlap with endothelial cells decreased with tPA, but recovered with edaravone 4 days after tMCAO with proliferation. Thus, tPA treatment damaged pericytes resulting in the detachment from astrocytes and a decrease in GDNF secretion. However, treatment with edaravone greatly improved tPA-induced damage to pericytes. The present study demonstrates that exogenous tPA strongly damages pericytes and destroys the integrity of the NVU, but edaravone treatment can extremely ameliorate such damage after acute cerebral ischemia in rats.

Free Research Field

神経内科