Background: DL-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) has been approved to be effective in improving cognitive deficits. The aim of the current study was to determine whether NBP protects against cognitive deficits in a rat model of vascular dementia (VD) induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) by regulating the sonic hedgehog (Shh)/patched1 (Ptch1) pathway and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related markers.
Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries (2VO) to established the model of VD. These rats were randomly divided into five groups: sham, model, NBP30 (30 mg/kg), NBP 60 (60 mg/kg), and NBP 120 (120 mg/kg) groups. The Morris water maze test was used to assess for cognitive function at 4 weeks after operation.
Results: NBP significantly alleviated spatial learning and memory impairment, and inhibited the loss of neurons in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Western blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that plasticity-related synaptic markers and the Shh/Ptch1 pathway significantly increased in the NBP treated groups, while ERS-related markers decreased.
Conclusion: The results of the current study prove that the Shh/Ptch1 pathway plays an essential role in the model of VD. NBP had protective effects on cognitive impairment induced by CCH. This mechanism was associated with ERS and the Shh/Ptch1 pathway. Meanwhile, the Shh/Ptch1 pathway and ERS may interact with each other.
Keywords: DL-3-n-butylphthalide; Shh/Ptch1 pathway; common carotid arteries; endoplasmic reticulum stress; vascular dementia.
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