Sphingosine kinase 2 mediates cerebral preconditioning and protects the mouse brain against ischemic injury.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Cerebral preconditioning provides insights into endogenous mechanisms that protect the brain from ischemic injury. Hypoxia and the anesthetic isoflurane are powerful preconditioning agents. Recent data show that sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor stimulation improves outcome in rodent models of stroke. Endogenous sphingosine 1-phosphate levels are controlled by the expression and activity of sphingosine kinases (SPK). We hypothesize that SPK upregulation mediates preconditioning induced by isoflurane and hypoxia and reduces ischemic injury.

Methods

Male wild-type C57BL/J, SPK1(-/-) and SPK2(-/-) mice were exposed to isoflurane or hypoxia preconditioning before transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Infarct volume and neurological outcome were measur

SUBMITTER: Yung LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3246529 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature