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Treatment with MQA, a Derivative of Caffeoylquinic Acid, Provides Neuroprotective Effects against Cerebral Ischemia Through Suppression of the p38 Pathway and Oxidative Stress in Rats

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Abstract

1,5-O-dicaffeoyl-3-O-(4-malic acid methylester)–quinic acid (MQA), extracted from Arctium lappa L., has been observed to exert neuroprotective effects in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether MQA is an effective therapeutic method for cerebral ischemic injury in vivo. In this study, adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal group, a model group subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 24 h, a model + MQA group (which received intragastric MQA for the 7 days prior to MCAO), and a model + positive drug group. MQA appeared to induce effects in cerebral ischemic injury in rats, by downregulating malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, and nitric oxide synthase levels. Treatment with MQA significantly reduced infarcted sections. In addition, caspase-3 and Iba1 protein expression were evaluated with immunohistochemistry, and cortical cell apoptosis was assessed with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Expression of AKT and Bax, ERK1/2, P38 and Bcl-2, NFkB1, PARP, and caspase-3 was assessed with Western blotting. We found Bcl-2 and NFkB1 (p50) expressions were upregulated, whereas the expression of PARP, caspase-3, NFkB1 (p105), ERK1/2, P38, AKT, and Bax was downregulated. In conclusion, we observed MQA was an effective treatment for cerebral ischemic injury in rats.

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Funding

This work was supported by grants from The Applied Basic Research Program of **, Jilin, China

Yu Wang

  • School of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China

    **-hui Wang

    • Authors
    1. Long Chen
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    2. Dan-ni Liu
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    3. Yu Wang
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    4. Xue-ying Liu
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    5. Shuai Han
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    6. Ke Zhang
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    7. Guo-yu Li
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    8. **ng Tian
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    9. Hang-yu Wang
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    10. **-hui Wang
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    Corresponding authors

    Correspondence to Ke Zhang, **ng Tian or Hang-yu Wang.

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    All experimental procedures were in line with the National Institutes of Health guidelines for animal care and use experiments.

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    Chen, L., Liu, Dn., Wang, Y. et al. Treatment with MQA, a Derivative of Caffeoylquinic Acid, Provides Neuroprotective Effects against Cerebral Ischemia Through Suppression of the p38 Pathway and Oxidative Stress in Rats. J Mol Neurosci 67, 604–612 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-019-01268-1

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-019-01268-1

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