Effects of IL-1β on hippocampus cell apoptosis and learning ability of vascular dementia rats

L.-L. Guo, D.-S. Wang, Y.-Y. Xu, K.-G. Cui

Department of Neurology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Daqing People’s Hospital, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China. lgfpy45c10q5026c@sina.com

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• Neurology

OBJECTIVE: Vascular dementia (VD) is a type of memory, cognition, and behavior disorder caused by ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. It is a common pathogenesis of dementia that is only second to Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammation plays a key role in VD. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a kind of pro-inflammatory cytokine, while its mechanism in VD occurrence and development is still unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The healthy male rats were randomly divided into three groups, including sham group, VD model group (established by bilateral common carotid artery ligation), and IL-1β group (treated by IL-1β monoclonal antibody intracerebroventricular injection on based on model group). Rat learning ability was evaluated by Morris water maze assay. IL-1β expression in brain tissue and peripheral blood was examined by using Real Time-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Hippocampus apoptosis was detected by caspase 3 activity detection kit. B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein levels were assessed by Western blot assay.

RESULTS: IL-1β expression was increased, caspase 3 activity was enhanced, Bcl-2 level was declined, and p-P38 phosphorylation was elevated in brain tissue and peripheral blood from VD model group compared to sham group (p<0.05). IL-1β monoclonal antibody significantly reduced IL-1β expression, improved learning ability, attenuated caspase 3 activity, increased Bcl-2 level, and declined p-P38 expression in VD rats compared to model group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: IL-1β can delay VD occurrence and development through the P38-MAPK signaling pathway to regulate cell apoptosis and improve learning ability.

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