Minocycline inhibits expression of NF-κB, GFAP and IL-1β in brain of rats with vascular dementia

Abstract

Objective:To observe the influence of minocycline on expression of NF-κB, GFAP, and IL-1β in rats with vascular dementia,so as to study the neuroprotective mechanism of minocycline for vascular dementia.Methods: An animal model of vascular dementia was established by chronic bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). Animals were randomly divided into sham-operation group(S), 4-week model group (M4), 8-week model group (M8), 16-week model group (M16), 4-week model + Minocycline group (T4), 8-week model+Minocycline group (T8), and 16-week model+Minocycline group (T16). The behaviors of animals were tested with Morris water maze and shuttle box task. Expression of NF-κB and GFAP was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry and Western blotting,and IL-1β by ELISA.Results: Minocycline greatly improved the behaviors of mice with vascular dementia, and promoted the learning, memory and responding abilities. The expression of NF-κB, GFAP and IL-1β in all the model groups and Minocycline treatment groups were significantly higher than that in the sham-operation group (P0.01); and those of Minocycline treatment groups were significantly lower than the corresponding model groups (P0.01).Conclusion: Minocycline can decrease the expression of NF-κB, GFAP, and IL-1β in the brain of rats with vascular dementia, and protect brain by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes and neuroinflammation.