Aquaporin-4 gene silencing protects injured neurons after early cerebral infarction

作者：He, Zhan-ping; Lu, Hong^*

来源：Neural Regeneration Research, 2015, 10(7): 1082-1087.

DOI：10.4103/1673-5374.160099

• nerve regeneration
• middle cerebral artery occlusion
• cerebral ischemia
• cytotoxic edema
• angioedema
• magnetic resonance imaging
• diffusion-weighted imaging
• aquaporin-4
• gene silencing

Aquaporin-4 regulates water molecule channels and is important in tissue regulation and water transportation in the brain. Upregulation of aquaporin-4 expression is closely related to cellular edema after early cerebral infarction. Cellular edema and aquaporin-4 expression can be determined by measuring cerebral infarct area and apparent diffusion coefficient using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). We examined the effects of silencing aquaporin-4 on cerebral infarction. Rat models of cerebral infarction were established by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery and siRNA-aquaporin-4 was immediately injected via the right basal ganglia. In control animals, the area of high signal intensity and relative apparent diffusion coefficient value on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and DWI gradually increased within 0.5-6 hours after cerebral infarction. After aquaporin-4 gene silencing, the area of high signal intensity on T2WI and DWI reduced, relative apparent diffusion coefficient value was increased, and cellular edema was obviously alleviated. At 6 hours after cerebral infarction, the apparent diffusion coefficient value was similar between treatment and model groups, but angioedema was still obvious in the treatment group. These results indicate that aquaporin-4 gene silencing can effectively relieve cellular edema after early cerebral infarction; and when conducted accurately and on time, the diffusion coefficient value and the area of high signal intensity on T2WI and DWI can reflect therapeutic effects of aquaporin-4 gene silencing on cellular edema.

• 出版日期2015-7
• 单位中南大学