Changes in Expression of BCL-2, BAX and ICE mRNA After Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rat

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 17(4); 1999 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1999;17(4): 568-573.

흰쥐 대뇌국소허혈시 BCL-2,BAX 및 ICE 유전자 발현의 변동

조연희, 김종근*·김경근*·김명규 ·조기현 ·김세종

전남대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실,약리학교실*

Changes in Expression of BCL-2, BAX and ICE mRNA After Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion in Rat

Yeon-Heui Cho, Jong-Keun Kim*, Kyung-Keun Kim*, Myeong-Kyu Kim, Ki-Hyun Cho, Sei-Jong Kim

Department of Neurology and Pharmacology*, Chonnam National University Medical School

Abstract

Background : In order to delineate the involvement of apoptotic death in post-ischemic cerebral infarction, the temporal expressions of some apoptosis-regulating genes (BCL-2, BAX and ICE) were studied in the parietofrontal cortex of a rat following focal cerebral ischemia using a Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR. Methods : Animals were decapitated at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours following a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Results : With the use of Northern blotting, the expression of proto-oncogene BCL-2, the apoptosis-repressor gene, increased up to 4 hours after a MCAO and then recovered to the control level. In a RT-PCR analysis, the expression of BCL-2 increased up to 8 hours after the MCAO and then recovered to the control level at 24 hours. The expression of BAX, the apoptosis-effec-tor gene, was not altered by a MCAO in a Northern blot analysis. The expression of ICE, an cysteine protease gene, markedly decreased at 1 and 2 hours after the MCAO and then recovered to the control level. Conclusions : These results show that ischemic insults by a MCAO alter the expression of the apoptosis-regulating genes and support the notion that the apoptosis may have occurred in the post-ischemic cerebral infarction. J Kor Neurol Ass 17(4):568~573, 1999 Key Words : Apoptosis, BCL-2, BAX, ICE, Cerebral Ischemia