Cyclooxygenase-2-Derived Prostaglandins Mediate Cerebral Microcirculation in a Juvenile Ischemic Rat Model

Abstract

Background and purpose: We previously showed that the selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) increases cerebral microcirculation in a juvenile ischemic rat model. We address the roles of cyclooxygenase (COX)-elaborated prostaglandins in collateral recruitment and blood supply.

Methods: Fourteen-day-old rats were subjected to ischemia-reperfusion and treated with either PBS or 7-NI (25 mg/kg) at the reperfusion onset. Six-keto-prostaglandin F_1α was measured using ELISA. COX-1 and COX-2 and prostaglandin terminal synthesizing enzymes were evaluated using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Microvascular blood flow indexes (artery diameter and capillaries number) were measured using sidestream dark-field videomicroscopy in PBS- and 7-NI-treated ischemic rats in the absence or presence of the COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 (5 mg/kg). Cell death was measured with the TUNEL (terminal transferase dUTP nick end labeling) assay and cleaved-caspase-3 immunostaining.

Results: Six-keto-prostaglandin F_1α and COX-2, associated with a prostaglandin E synthase, were significantly increased in PBS- and 7-NI-treated animals 15 minutes and 1 hour after ischemia-reperfusion, respectively. In contrast and as compared with PBS, 7-NI significantly decreased prostacyclin synthase and cytosolic prostaglandins E synthase mRNA. Selective COX-2 inhibition significantly decreased blood flow indexes and significantly reversed the effects of 7-NI, including the number of TUNEL⁺- and cleaved-caspase-3⁺-nuclei.

Conclusions: These results show that the juvenile rat brains mostly respond to ischemia by a COX-2-dependent prostaglandins production and suggest that the transcriptional responses observed under 7-NI facilitate and reorient COX-2-dependent prostaglandins production.

Keywords: COX-2; ischemia–reperfusion; microcirculation; prostaglandins; stroke.