Comparison of alpha-tubulin mRNA and heat shock protein-70 mRNA in gerbil brain following 10 min of ischemia

Evaluation of common housekeeping proteins under ischemic conditions and/or rt-PA treatment in bEnd.3 cells

Thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is the only pharmacological approved treatment for ischemic stroke, despite its associated increasing risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Since many of rt-PA effects in blood-brain barrier (BBB) are not well characterized, the study of protein changes in BBB cells after rt-PA administration may help to understand its adverse effects. Our aim was to analyze protein levels of four commonly used housekeeping proteins: β-Actin, α-Tubulin, GAPDH and HPRT in bEnd.3 endothelial cell line subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions and rt-PA treatment to determine their reliability as Western blot loading controls. bEnd.3 monolayers were subjected to 2.5 h of OGD and reperfusion with/without 20 μg/ml of rt-PA. At 3, 6, 24 and 72 h post-OGD, protein levels were analyzed by Western blot using Stain-Free technology. OGD significantly decreased β-Actin, α-Tubulin, GAPDH and HPRT protein levels at 3, 6, 24 and 72 h post-OGD without significant rt-PA treatment effects except for the GAPDH levels increase in control condition at 3 h post-OGD. The present study clearly demonstrated that β-Actin, α-Tubulin, GAPDH and HPRT proteins are not suitable as loading controls for Western Blot analysis in bEnd.3 cells after OGD.

SIGNIFICANCE

We reported altered levels of β-Actin, α-Tubulin, GAPDH and HPRT housekeeping proteins in bEnd.3 endothelial cell line after an ischemic insult. Therefore, we demonstrated that these proteins are not suitable as loading controls for Western Blot analysis in our experimental conditions and we recommended the use of Stain-Free gels as an alternative to traditional housekeeping proteins normalization.

Expression of beta-actin and alpha-tubulin mRNA in gerbil brain following transient ischemia and reperfusion up to 1 month

The time course of mRNA expressions of two cytoskeletal proteins, beta-actin and alpha-tubulin, was studied by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization in the same gerbil brains at various periods of recirculation following 10 min of forebrain ischemia. On Northern blot analysis, beta-actin mRNA in the forebrain showed increase after 6 h and 24 h recirculation. There was wide variation in its expression 3 days postischemia (PI), and by 7 days PI it had returned to control. The alpha-tubulin mRNA in the forebrain was shown to be reduced 6 h PI in our previous study. In the present analysis of Northern blots of delayed postischemic periods, there was no significant change in its expression even though there were variations. In situ hybridization revealed a decline in the mRNA expressions of both alpha-tubulin and beta-actin in the CA1 region as early as 6-24 h PI with the reductions being prominent at 3 days PI. By 7 days PI, beta-actin was only faintly visible while alpha-tubulin was completely absent in the CA1 region. Neither RNA was detectable in CA1 1 month PI. The heat shock-70 protein was expressed by 1 h PI, and it continued to be expressed up to 24 h, returning to control by 3 days PI. These results indicate that ischemia inhibits mRNA expressions of cytoskeletal protein in the selectively vulnerable region of the brain, i.e. CA1. The time course of the reduction of the two mRNAs coincides with delayed neuronal death suggesting that the cytoskeletal proteins may play important roles in selective postischemic neuronal injury.