Expression of CCL2 and CCR2 in the hippocampus and the interventional roles of propofol in rat cerebral ischemia/reperfusion

The aim of the present study was to determine the roles of the chemotactic factor, chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), and its receptor, chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2), in the hippocampus of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. In total, 24 Sprague-Dawley rats, weighting 250–300 g, were randomly divided into three groups (n=8): Sham-operated (C group), cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R group) and propofol-intervention (P group) groups. The rats were sacrificed at 6 h after the ischemia/reperfusion surgery, and the brains were obtained to isolate the hippocampus. The mRNA expression levels of CCL2 and CCR2 in the hippocampus were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while the protein expression levels of CCL2 and CCR2 were determined by western blot analysis. The expression levels of CCL2 and CCR2 in the procerebrum were markedly elevated in the I/R and P groups at 6 h after the ischemia/reperfusion surgery when compared with the C group (P<0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression levels of CCL2 and CCR2 decreased significantly in the P group as compared with that in the I/R group (P<0.05). Therefore, CCL2 and CCR2 may be involved in the mechanisms underlying cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, and propofol may protect the brain through regulating the expression of CCL2 and CCR2.