Original Article
The influence of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction on the expression of VEGF and EphB2 in MCAO model rats
Abstract
Background: To observe the effect of Miao medicine and Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and ephrin-B2 (EphB2) in the frontal lobe of the involved side and the cerebellum of rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and to reveal the pharmacological mechanism of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction in treating acute ischemic stroke.
Methods: Seventy healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, salvia miltiorrhiza (S. miltiorrhiza), and Miao medicine groups. Modified Longa’s method was used to prepare a cerebral ischemia reperfusion model. After the operation, the rats in the sham operation group and model group were intragastrically administered with saline, those in the Miao medicine group were intragastrically administered with Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction, and those in the S. miltiorrhiza group were intraperitoneally injected with S. miltiorrhiza. After 14 days of administration, the neurological deficit scores of the rats in each group were compared before and after treatment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the brain tissues in the right infarcted areas of the rats. VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum was observed through immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization to detect EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum.
Results: The neurological deficit scores were significantly improved in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups aftertreatment compared with those of the model group (P<0.05) and was higher in the Miao medicine group than in the S. miltiorrhiza group. The VEGF expression in the right frontal lobe and cerebellum was significantly increased in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) with the former having higher levels than the latter (P<0.05). EphB2 expression was significantly increased in the frontal lobe and cerebellum in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) and was higher in the frontal lobe of the Miao medicine group than that of the S. miltiorrhiza group (P<0.05) but was not significantly different in the cerebellum in the S. miltiorrhiza and Miao medicine groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction can improve the neurological function score and promote the VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum and the EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe of the involved side of MCAO rats. The pharmacological mechanism of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction in treating acute ischemic stroke may be related to its regulation of VEDF and EphB2 expression in the distal part of the involved side.
Methods: Seventy healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model, salvia miltiorrhiza (S. miltiorrhiza), and Miao medicine groups. Modified Longa’s method was used to prepare a cerebral ischemia reperfusion model. After the operation, the rats in the sham operation group and model group were intragastrically administered with saline, those in the Miao medicine group were intragastrically administered with Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction, and those in the S. miltiorrhiza group were intraperitoneally injected with S. miltiorrhiza. After 14 days of administration, the neurological deficit scores of the rats in each group were compared before and after treatment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the brain tissues in the right infarcted areas of the rats. VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum was observed through immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization to detect EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum.
Results: The neurological deficit scores were significantly improved in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups aftertreatment compared with those of the model group (P<0.05) and was higher in the Miao medicine group than in the S. miltiorrhiza group. The VEGF expression in the right frontal lobe and cerebellum was significantly increased in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) with the former having higher levels than the latter (P<0.05). EphB2 expression was significantly increased in the frontal lobe and cerebellum in the Miao medicine and S. miltiorrhiza groups (P<0.05) and was higher in the frontal lobe of the Miao medicine group than that of the S. miltiorrhiza group (P<0.05) but was not significantly different in the cerebellum in the S. miltiorrhiza and Miao medicine groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction can improve the neurological function score and promote the VEGF expression in the frontal lobe and cerebellum and the EphB2 expression in the frontal lobe of the involved side of MCAO rats. The pharmacological mechanism of Tongqiao Huashuan Decoction in treating acute ischemic stroke may be related to its regulation of VEDF and EphB2 expression in the distal part of the involved side.
