Influence of 3-nitropropionic acid on expression of caspase-3 in brain tissue after ischemic preconditioning

Objective To investigate effects of 3-nitropropionic acid(3-NPA) intervention on the expression of caspase-3 in brain tissue after cerebral ischemic preconditioning.Methods Seventy-two healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:cerebral ischemia group(n=24),ischemia preconditioning group(n=24) and ischemia preconditioning plus 3-NPA intervention group(n=24).Each group was divided into 4 subgroups according to 6 h,1 d,2 d,4 d after ischemia.Results At the same time point after ischemia,neurological deficit in preconditioning group was much less than that in ischemia group(P0.05),brain infarct volume of the rats in preconditioning group was smaller than that in ischemia group(P0.05),the expression of caspase-3 in positive cells was lower in the hippocampus tissue in preconditioning group than in ischemia group(P0.05).The score of neurological deficits,the infarct volume and the expression of caspase-3 in positive cells in 3-NPA intervention group were smaller than those in preconditioning group and the difference was significant.Expression of caspase-3 in positive cells appeared at 6 hours after ischemia,reaching the peak on days 1-2 and then gradually decreased.Conclusion The intervention of 3-NPA after ischemia preconditioning may have synergetic effect on the protection of neuron.