The present study established a rat model of global cerebral ischemia induced by chest compression for six minutes to dynamically observe expressional changes of three glutamate transporters in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. After 24 hours of ischemia, expression of glutamate transporter-1 significantly decreased in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, which was accompanied by neuronal necrosis. At 7 days post-ischemia, expression of excitatory amino acid carrier 1 decreased in the hippocampal CA1 region and cortex, and was accompanied by apoptosis. Expression of glutamate-aspartate transporter remained unchanged at 6 hours-7 days after ischemia. These results suggested that glutamate transporter levels were altered at different periods of cerebral ischemia.
Keywords: apoptosis; excitatory amino acid carrier 1; global cerebral ischemia; glutamate transporter; glutamate transporter-1; glutamateaspartate transporter; neuroprotection.