Tongluo Jiunao Injection, a Chinese herbal fomula protects the focal ischemic brain injury and decreases the expression of Semaphorin 3A and its receptor Neuropilin 1

Abstract

Tongluo Jiunao (TLJN) injection has been shown to exhibit protective effects following ischemia injury in vivo and in vitro. We hypothesized that TLJN injection alleviates the injury of neuron and brain blood barrier by inhibiting the expression of Semaphorin 3A (Sema 3A) and its receptor Neuropilin 1 (Nrp‐1) following ischemia stroke. A permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (PMCAO) surgery was induced in the study on SD rats. Brain edema, infarct volume and spatialtemporal expression of Sema 3A and Nrp‐1 were detected. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining results revealed that TLJN injection reduced the infarct volume from 1d to 7d (p<0.01) and edema of brain at 1d (p<0.01) post injury compared to model group. Double‐labeled immunofluorescence showed that Sema 3A and Nrp‐1 positive cells increased in cortex and hippocampus in ipsilateral hemisphere at all the time points after the onset of PMCAO. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay results showed that TLJN decreased Sema 3A. Reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot results showed that TLJN injection decreased the expression of Sema 3A and Nrp‐1 in the ischemic brain tissues of rats. These results suggested that TLJN injection reduced the damage of brain by decreasing the infarction volumn and edema of brain which is related to its inhibitory of Sema 3A and Nrp‐1.