Activation of TRESK background potassium channels by cloxyquin exerts protective effects against excitotoxic-induced brain injury and neuroinflammation in neonatal rats

Abstract

We investigated effects of activation of TRESK channels by selective activator cloxyquin on excitotoxic-induced brain injury and neuroinflammation involving brain mast cells and inflammatory cytokines in neonatal rats. Three different doses of cloxyquin (0.2, 1 and 5 mg/kg) were studied in ibotenate-induced perinatal brain injury (PBI) in P5 rat-pups. Cerebral lesions and mast cells in coronal brain sections were evaluated. Concentrations of activin A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10 in brain homogenates were measured using ELISA. Cloxyquin dose-dependently exerted protective effects against excitotoxic-induced neonatal brain injury and neuroinflammation. TRESK channels may be a promising new target for the treatment of PBIs.