Tongxinluo Exerts Inhibitory Effects on Pyroptosis and Amyloid-β Peptide Accumulation after Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion in Rats

Figures

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  Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the experimental protocols (a) and assessments on neuroprotective and pyroptosis-inhibiting effects of TXL against cerebral I/R injuries (b–f). (b) Neurological deficits of successful MCAO/R rats with failure to extend right forepaw (white arrow) and circling to the right. (c) Neurological deficit scores of each group, n = 10. (d) Detection of LDH content, n = 4. (e) Representative pictures of PI immunofluorescent staining. The red dots represent the amount of nuclear PI uptake; scale bars, 50 μm. (f) Representative pictures of GSDMD-FL (yellow arrows) and GSDMD-N (red arrows) immunohistochemistry staining; scale bars, 50/20 μm. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the sham group. ▲P < 0.05 and ▲▲P < 0.01 versus the I/R group.

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  Figure 2. Caspase-11/GSDMD mediated pyroptosis in astrocytes and intervention effects of TXL. (a–c) Protein levels of pro/cleaved caspase-11 and GSDMD-FL/N in each group; n = 6. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the sham group. ▲▲P < 0.01 versus the I/R group. (d-e) Representative pictures of double immunofluorescence staining of GFAP (green, the biomarker of astrocytes) with caspase-11/GSDMD (red), respectively; scale bars, 50 μm.

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  Figure 3. Intervention effects of TXL on pyroptosis-related inflammatory responses after reperfusion. (a, c) Protein expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1 p20, IL-1β, and IL-6 in each group. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the sham group. ▲P < 0.05 and ▲▲P < 0.01 versus the I/R group. (b) Representative pictures of the double immunofluorescence staining of GFAP (green) and NLRP3 (red); scale bars, 20 μm.

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  Figure 4. Intervention effects of TXL on AQP-4 polarization loss and Aβ accumulation after reperfusion. (a) Representative pictures of the double immunofluorescence staining of AQP-4 (red) and GFAP (green) in ischemic cortex; scale bars, 50 μm. (b) Representative pictures of the double immunofluorescence staining of Aβ (red) and GFAP (green) in ischemic cortex and hippocampus; scale bars, 50 μm. (c-d) Protein levels of Aβ1–42 oligomers in each group; n = 6. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ∗∗P < 0.01 versus the sham group. ▲P < 0.05 versus the I/R group.