Anti-apoptotic effect of silymarin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles on hippocampal caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expression following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Abstract

Background

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) causes memory and learning impairments and apoptosis in the hippocampus. The aim of present study aimed to investigate the anti-apoptotic effects of silymarin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (SM-CS-NPs) on the expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 genes in hippocampal neurons after I/R injury.

Material and methods

SM and SM-CS-NPs were orally administered (15 mg/kg) for 14 days, and then cerebral I/R injury was induced by the bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). One day after I/R induction, memory and learning impairments and various biochemical estimations were assessed.

Results

Our results indicated that SM-CS-NPs improved I/R-induced memory and learning impairments and oxidative damage in the hippocampal region. The qRT-PCR analysis indicated that SM-CS-NPs pretreatment inhibited I/R-induced neuronal apoptosis by increasing the expression of Bcl-2 and decreasing the expression of Caspase-3 in the hippocampus.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that SM-CS-NPs exert neuroprotective effects, and the neuroprotection is likely to be associated with the regulation of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3, leading to inhibition of apoptotic cell death in hippocampal neurons.

Keywords:

• Apoptosis
• silymarin
• oxidative damage
• ischemia/reperfusion injury
• chitosan nanoparticles
• hippocampus

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.